


Collateral Damage

by Cadday



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Angst, Braig save the worlds, Feels, Fix-It, Found Family, Hearts remember, Kairi Deserved Better, Keyblade Wielder Kairi (Kingdom Hearts), Luxu is a dick, Multi, Trauma, Trauma Induced Amnesia, braig has ptsd, braig-centric, ienzo is a good kid, maybe not, maybe romance later, or tries too
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-22
Updated: 2020-08-22
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:07:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 23,931
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23791318
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cadday/pseuds/Cadday
Summary: 'He’s not sure how long it’s been. He remembers, or at least his heart and what’s left of him does, that he should be fighting back. But he’s too tired most days and fighting hurts. 'Braig is desperate, it's been dark for so long. Ending it seems like the best option but he's not sure how. It was never his intention to go back but now that he's hear he's got to change things. Now if he could just remember what those things were.
Comments: 30
Kudos: 43





	1. You don't want to hurt me, but see how deep the bullet lies...

**Author's Note:**

> Songs for this chapter:  
> Running up that hill - Placebo  
> Dear Agony - Breaking Benjamin
> 
> I really have been thinking about Braig a lot. Since I couldn't find a fic with the kind of redemption I wanted I guess I am writing one. Who knows how far this goes and how long I'll keep at it.

He’s not sure how long it’s been. He remembers, or at least his heart and what’s left of him does, that he should be fighting back. But he’s too tired most days and fighting hurts. 

Sometimes he can see the way out, the light in the distance, but it’s so far away and hard to reach for. In the brief moments that it’s close, that he’s near the surface, he can see where he is. Usually it’s late at night and they are resting or emotionally compromised. He’s been compromised a lot lately. The new people who returned, foretellers a memory supplies though he’s not sure if it’s his, are making things difficult. They aren’t following their roles enough and he’s angry about it or emotional at least. Either way he doesn’t think much of it till he’s awake briefly one day and he sees, well he’s not sure at first. Names are hard and faces are forgotten but hearts are familiar and this one is shattered by whatever Luxu, that’s the stupid bastards name he almost forgot it, is yelling at them. He’s yelling because one of the foretellers almost fell to these hearts and it’s that lack of control that has him aware of everything. Luxu’s threatening them now and it has him panicked so suddenly that he isn’t sure what he’s doing till he does it and he falls out of the freakin sky, because of course they had been standing on nothing and the sudden shift has him falling several feet to the ground gasping at suddenly being aware of everything and being able to move. He feels like crying or screaming but all he can really do is gasp for air like a person rescued from drowning. 

He looks up to meet startled confused faces and feels so much all at once and he opens his mouth to say something, anything at all, but it’s dark. He’s shut out again trapped in darkness and a void in himself and he has know idea what happens to those people. 

He isn’t sure how long it takes before he gets his next shot. He is only aware that bad things are probably happening and he is useless to stop any of it. Still it’s late one night and their resting when he flings his presence against the barrier that’s around it towards the light and he comes too in bed shuddering and breathing hard and so confused. Now though he doesn’t know what to do. He can’t go home, wherever that was again, and who knows how long till Luxu is awake and throws him back to his place in the darkness. He sits there probably too long staring down at his empty hands and suddenly he realizes they aren’t empty any more. Luxu has a keyblade which means he has one too. He debates throwing it out a window out of spite but as it’s a magical item he doubts that would have any lasting result and does nothing to help him. 

He stares at the keyblade, and creepily the thing can stare back, and looks around the room. He thinks of familiar hearts and a name he no longer has and a home he can’t remember. He focuses so hard on how much his heart aches for any other outcome, and then he stabs himself in the chest with the damn thing.

Technically when asked what exactly his plan was stabbing himself with a magical giant key belonging to the biggest entitled asshole he had ever met he can honestly say there was no plan. Maybe he intended to die. He isn’t sure. He is sure that he might be dead after all because he’s not sure he remembers the world being this damn bright. 

Sitting up he looks around confused. He should know this place, his heart unhelpfully supplies the distinct feeling at least. His head hurts and he feels like he’s going to pass out. He shifts to try to stand but he can’t quite get himself up off the ground which isn’t great. It’s hard to tell how long he’s on the ground trying to contemplate how to get up and figure out where he is and his head is starting to ache more and more. He wonders if that’s a side effect to whatever he did to himself. What’s not helping his head is the yelling. Startled, he looks around confused to figure out who is yelling as it gets closer.

A man with dark hair comes into view and he stares up at the panicked face in confusion. He’s familiar and his heart aches suddenly at the thought. The man with dark hair sounds exceedingly panicked and is holding his face still. It’s oddly comforting even if the guy sounds like he’s dying and who knows maybe he is. Maybe this is some long drawn out death the keyblade is putting him through. Weird but okay he can deal. Even feeling pain is better than endless darkness. 

“Aeleus...help over...face is….bleeding everywhere.” He tries to tilt his head in confusion but the black haired guy who's trying to sound calm and in control but he can feel the guys heart and he’s anything but, is holding his face still. For the first time he realizes he said something about bleeding and he raises a hand to his face only for it to come away bloody. Which gets another reaction out of the guy who is totally not panicking at all. 

“Gonna be...Braig...the hell...stay awake…” Oh yeah Braig that’s his name isn’t it. It’s the last thought he gets before the pain wins out and it’s dark again.

Waking up hurts. 

His face is kinda numb but the lack of depth perception stopped bothering him a long time ago at least. Braig pushes up and raises his hand to touch bandages wrapped around his head. The room he’s in is familiar-ish. There’s a beeping of a machine next to him and he stares at it for a while trying to piece together what this all means. He’s in his body for one, and in control which is surprisingly kinda hard to cope with. Like he’s thrilled but it’s terrifying to feel and exist again. 

His chest feels tight like somethings squeezing it and he suddenly can’t be here anymore so he’s throwing himself out from under white sheets and stumbling to his feet. He’s down the hall leaning heavily against a wall before he realizes he’s not sure where he’s going. Braig drags himself along the wall a little while longer before collapsing somewhere. He’s sitting against the wall trying to catch his breath when they find him. He’s small and a kid and staring at him with a concerned look that makes Braig want to scream.  
“You're supposed to be resting. Even said it looked like someone mauled your face but they didn’t let me see.”  
Braig blinks slowly at the quiet kid who’s now in a squatted position in front of him. His blue hair is in his face and without thinking he reaches a hand up to try to brush it behind the kids ear. The kids’ only response is a tilted head and a confused look.  
“You’re being weird. It might be the pain medication.” They sit there a while with the kid watching him concerned and Braig too tired to move. After a while they here running and the kid stands up with a frown.

“He’s over here.” The black haired guy rounds the corner with a scrawny blonde and a huge red head. Braig blinks at them stupidly. He knows these people, he’s sure of it because they make his heart hurt and head throb worse. 

“What on earth are you doing? Are you trying to kill yourself?” The blonde is very angry and bossy for that matter he’s ranting away now and Braig frowns because the last question that he processed had made him pause. He had hadn’t he. Tried to kill himself. The blonde man was still ranting though and the red head was trying to calm him down. Black hair guy stepped forward and offered his hand to him and Braig stared at that dumbly too before carefully taking the offered hand and letting himself be pulled off the ground.

“Even I don’t think he understands. He’s not acting like himself…” The kids voice was really quiet which was good because the blonde was making his head hurt more. He leaned back against the wall and let his head loll back.

The blonde, Even, frowned and walked over to him. He waved a hand in front of his face and Braig tried to swatt at it with no real effect. 

“Ienzo how long has he been here?” The kid looked at the black haired guy and shrugged.

“I’m not sure, I found him probably ten minutes ago just sitting on the ground. He hasn’t said anything. Which is…” Ienzo, the kids Ienzo, looks back at him and Braig is sure he looks upset. He wonders how he caused that. Braig want’s to apologize but he can’t make words come out. 

“Alright well he’s clearly not fit to be up, honestly Braig why you insist causing all of us this stress is beyond me, Master Ansem is beside himself mind you, and their was absolutely nothing we could do to save your eye,” Even was waving his arms around as he spoke and Braig wondered if he was always this animated, he feels like he should already know the answer but can’t recall, “Let’s get you out of the hallway at least, honestly it’s a miracle you made it so far, I would think you would have ran into the first doorway you were faced with, Dilan do you mind?” 

Braig wanted to say something but was having trouble still. His brain tried to force out words but it’s like his mouth couldn’t remember what to do to use them. Dilan, black haired guy so red hair had to be Aeleus grabbed his arm and swung it over his shoulder. They were moving before he even realized they had started and the next thing he knew was they were back in the room with the beeping machines and too white sheets. 

He’s assisted to sit down and without being told he climbs back properly under the covers then goes right on back to staring straight ahead.

There still in the room with him, talking about something and Even is still gesturing wildly as he talks. He thinks it’s about him and what happened he’s not really listening. His ears are kinda ringing and the headache is still there. Ienzo wanders over to the bed and leans in front of his face.

“Braig it’s going to be okay. Your back home now so we’ll make sure whatever did this can’t do it again. Okay?” Braig blinks dumbly at the kid. The other talking has stopped and it’s so quiet. He thinks he hates the quiet. Reaching up he grabs Ienzo’s hand and squeezes it. Ienzo’s smiles are barely their things but it’s so familiar that he wishes he could cry. He doesn’t remember that he actually can till everyone is around his bed trying to calm him down. Braig feels pathetic and stupid and so very lost. But Ienzo is holding his hand still and Aeleus and Dilan are making vaguelly threatening promises about whoever did this and Even is loud and angry and fussing about his bandages and meds and the stupid beeping machine. Braig fights to stay awake, afraid of falling back into darkness even to sleep, until it’s just not possible any longer. He really hopes this isn’t some screwed up dream.


	2. Suffer slowly, Is this the way it's got to be?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Recovery is hard. Now if he could just remember what he was recovering from...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Braig is a disaster but not in his usual way, everyone is concerned.

Waking up is already novel in itself these days. But waking up to someone by his bedside is jarring. Aeleus is reading something but he can tell that it’s more something to hold on to and he’s not really paying it much attention, why he can tell that he can’t recall. If the other has noticed him awake he is making a decent play at pretending he hasn’t. Braig’s head still throbs a little bit but not as much. He lays there a while just staring at the ceiling when not glancing at Aeleus out of the corner of his eye.

“Master Ansem believes that the loss of your eye has something to do with those things that have been showing up as of late...Even seems to disagree.”

Braig turned to fully look at Aeleus.

“It seems Even is under the impression that your injuries have more to do with the strange elderly fellow who was around. Some people in town said they saw you speaking to him not long before we found you…” 

Braig turns his head away with a frown. Old man he spoke to, when did he speak to an old man...Raising his hand to his eye he shuddered. 

His head was starting to hurt again but he remembered fighting...someone. Was it an old man? That didn’t sound right in his mind. His heart was screaming the old man was dangerous though so he made a note to avoid suspicious old men.

He shook his head no in a response to Aeleus’ concerns and the red head man frowned.

“Braig we need to know who attacked you.” He shook his head again and met Aeleus’ concerned frown and willed him to understand.

“You...don’t know who attacked you.” He nodded and Aeleus looked even more concerned so he turned away again. He was getting tired of the sad looks, he supposed he hadn’t given anyone anything to be happy about.

“Alright...I...I need to go speak to Master Ansem. He wanted to know who did this, I don’t think he will be thrilled that you don’t even know. He was very upset when we got you back to the castle.” Braig didn’t look at him, just tried to stare a hole into the ceiling. 

“I can send someone else to come sit with you while I’m gone if you want...Either way promise to stay in bed, Even had a stroke when he came to check your vitals and you were gone, which normally would be humorous if it wasn’t for the fact that…” It’s quiet for a beat and Braig looks over when he realizes Aeleus is waiting for something. It takes him a bit to realize he should respond somehow and settles for nodding when he opens his mouth and can’t seem to even croak out a sound. 

Aeleus takes it for what it is and kind of half smiles at him in what he assumes is an attempt to put him at ease. He can’t bring himself to smile back. 

Aeleus is gone for maybe a few minutes before his door opens again. He isn’t sure who he expected but it’s not Ienzo. He doesn’t know why. The kid is holding a book as well. It’s familiar but he doesn’t know why and Braig carefully sits up as the kid shuffles closer. 

“Aeleus said you needed company.” Braig stares at Ienzo and the kid stares back just as awkwardly. In his mind, or heart which is which he’s not sure, he feels a strange sense of familiarity. He looks down at the book and he knows that it’s a story about a planet made of treasure and pirates. He knows because he used to read it out loud when Ienzo first came to the castle. His chest hurts suddenly and before he realizes it he’s scooting over in his bed to let Ienzo up with him. Ienzo starts at the beginning and reads out loud when he realizes Braig just isn’t able too. Ienzo reads until he falls asleep next to him and Braig pulls the covers over the boy before flipping through the book by himself. Theirs drawings in the margins, because this book used to be his and he had no respect for his own things, his heart/mind supplies, doodles of pirate ships and treasure. Some pages just have mindless scribbles and shapes in margins. One page he has colored in all the holes in the letters. He flips through this book, a strange piece of himself he’d forgotten till he gets to the inside front cover. Written in his shitty handwriting is: ‘Property of Captain Braig’ then in a neat block hand writing under it is : ‘and Captain Ienzo’. He snorts something like a laugh but ends up feeling like he is going to cry again and chokes back inevitable tears because well Ienzo’s right there and the kid doesn’t need to deal with his crap. He shuts the book and carefully puts on the table next to the bed already holding his water cup. 

He sits for quite some time watching Ienzo nap and counting the beeps on the monitor. That's really the only noise in the room. Sometimes he checks the kids pulse if his breathing gets too steady and he tries not to dwell on why he is so sure the kids heartbeat is going to vanish at any moment. Even strolls in at some point and takes one look at them and rolls his eyes.

“I don’t know why he’s resting here and you're wide awake watching him but at least your in bed this time. If you are awake we can try a pain killer orally today instead of what I’ve had to give you. I’m concerned that it’s having adverse effects on your sleep.” Braig manages a slow nod in response and Even just looks at him expectantly like he’s waiting for something. When nothing else happens he frowns and turns to the machines. 

“I believe your loss of voice is temporary, you didn’t receive any injuries to your throat so it must be a mental thing. Nonetheless if you would like I can get something to help you attempt to communicate. Though knowing your hand writing it may make communication worse.” Even looks at him again as an expectant expression and Braig kind of smile grimaces in a ‘I acknowledge your joke’ way or at least that’s his intention. Even just looks kind of frustrated. Like this whole conversation, being so one sided, has him wrong footed and grasping at straws. 

“We’ll have to test your depth perception at some point too which means when you are back on your feet you will be restricted to light duty till we can be sure you aren’t going to accidentally shoot a civilian.” Braig just nods again and Even is starting to look mildly panicked by either his silence or maybe his general acquiescence. 

“I’ll send Aeleus with dinner for you and Ienzo since he has decided that this is how he is spending his day,” Even sighs and gives him a look that he supposes is meant to be reprimanding in nature. “You're an absolutely terrible influence on him you know.” Braig looks down at Ienzo because it was hard to look at Even right now. He doesn’t look up again till the door clicks shut. 

It occurs to him he probably hasn’t eaten in quite some time, technically he has not taken part in actually eating in years, but his body currently still probably hasn’t eaten in close to a day now and he’s not sure if he’s actually hungry. 

Aeleus does show up with food for all three of them and Braig pokes at Ienzo’s face till he startles awake. He doesn’t look happy about it but Aeleus snorts a laugh and Braig chokes out a half wheezing cough that’s the best he’s gotten to do for a laugh so far. 

Dinner for him is mostly liquid. He would make a comment about how he’s not dying but he would be lying if he said he didn’t feel like he was. Braig can’t really remember stuff right but he doesn’t think the last time he got his face half blasted off that it was this hard to recover from. He’s pretty sure whatever he did that had him waking up here is the cause but he can’t put that into words literally and anyway even if he could he couldn’t explain to everyone much of anything anyway. He hates how lost that makes him feel. 

He eats all of his dinner, drinks it, and listens to Aeleus and Ienzo try to hold a barely passable conversation. Even comes back after and he listens to him mother hen at Ienzo for a bit and then unfortunately his attention turned to Braig as he set about explaining his new pills before watching him intently to make sure he took them. Braig actually rolls his eyes when Even says something about him making sure he takes them on time and Braig makes a face at him when he turns around. Ienzo sees and looks, well thrilled oddly and Aeleus looks relieved which is weird. He decides not to dwell on it. 

“The pills should make you feel less dizzy as well, tomorrow we can see about you getting up and actually walking about, no guard duty though. Not until..” Even glances at Aeleus, “Until later. But for now if you're too bored and would like to complain, rest assured I can always find something low impact for you to help with.” Braig sticks his tongue out like a petulant child. Even doesn’t do much but huff but he looks weirdly pleased for just a second before returning to the beeping machines. 

Eventually evening creeps up and out into night and slowly they all leave his room. Even is the last to go. He keeps fussing with monitors and rambling to himself but Braig doesn’t really care. He’s frowning at the shadows outside his window. Finally when it seems he’s run out of things to fuss with Even follows his gaze out the window and into the abrasive darkness. 

“Braig you…” Even pauses before adopting a very unconvincing stern expression. “You should get some rest. I’ll see you in the morning.” He turns the light out as he leaves and Braig tries to breathe his way through the panic settling in under his skin. He tells himself it’s not weakness when he leaps out of bed and half runs and falls to turn the light back on. On the floor next to the switch he ends up holding his hand to his chest as if he could hold the contents inside, keep them from escaping. He eventually makes his way back to bed and tries to convince himself that the darkness behind his eyelids isn’t as terrifying as his heart seems to think it is.


	3. Oh mother tell your children Not to do what I have done

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Braig goes on a walk and then goes on a run.

It’s dark and silent and it feels like he’s drowning in it. There's a vague glimpse of light in the distance and he tries to push toward it but he feels himself being pulled further and further down. ‘You should just give up, cooperate and sleep, it’ll be easier on you if you do.’ He fights violently then at the sound of that man’s voice and wishes he could scream but he can’t. Hearts can’t scream not in a way anyone can hear. The man’s laughing at him, the speck of light is gone and Braig isn’t sure which way is up or down, he’s drowning in nothingness. No one can hear him, no one cares. They aren’t coming, he’s drowning, and..

Dilan’s grip on his arms will probably leave a bruise but right now he couldn’t care less because he’s awake and it’s bright and oh god someones here. Dilan looks shocked though and slowly loosens his grip when Braig continues to stare at him and gasp for air because thank christ he can breathe. Dilan let’s go slowly when Braig seems stable and Braig almost latches on to his arms himself. He doesn’t want him to leave. But then Dilan is sitting on the side of the bed just watching him.

“You were screaming.” And Oh that actually makes sense. He had deffinetly wanted to scream in his nightmare, dream, memory, thing he was having. It made sense that the first chance he was able to again he would. Then it occurs to him if he could scream he could maybe..

“...sss” Well he was a snake now because he had meant for that to be words of some kind but nope. His frustration must have been showing on his face because Dilan put a comforting hand on his shoulder before he stood.

“Your fine. Come on, Aeleus took guard shift today so I figured we would walk around, Even said you were cleared for that much.” He held out a glass of water to Braig and he frowned at it till he remembered the pills on the side table. Sitting up he downed that and the water and then carefully pulled himself out of bed. Dilan watched him blankly then nodded.

“Get dressed and we’ll see about breakfast too. Do you need help or…?” Braig gave him what he hoped came across as the most irritated look he could muster. Dilan laughed and shrugged. “Alright, I’m outside when you fall on your ass, just I don’t know throw something at the door when you wipe out.” Braig tried to kick him but Dilan stepped around it and didn’t comment when he stumbled slightly in the process.

The door shut behind him and Braig set about pulling open a drawer with uniforms like Dilan and Aeleus wore. He thought of another uniform with black coats and groaned as his head began to ache slightly. This had to be what he was meant to wear though, it was in his room and it was at least familiar. Once dressed though he looked in a mirror and found that something looked wrong but he didn’t know what. 

Carefully he made his way to the door and swung it open to find Dilan leaning against the wall outside.

“Took you long enough, you re...ady…” Braig gave him a confused look and looked around then back to Dilan. Dilan raised a hand to his neck to mime something and then stopped.

“You're not wearing...Nevermind. It just was different.” Braig looked down at the uniform. He couldn’t remember what else he was supposed to wear. There was something else? Dilan didn’t have anything else. Was it something important? 

Dilan must have seen his confusion because he stepped off the wall with a frown.

“Is it missing, maybe it had to get cleaned. We can ask Even later, I didn’t think about the fact that it probably had blood on it. You were wearing it when, well you know.” Braig just nodded too whatever Dilan was talking about. He was sure he would remember it when he saw it. The only other thing he could ever remember wearing though was a stupid black cloak.

Dilan and he wandered down to breakfast in silence. 

No one else was in the kitchen when they entered and Braig glanced at the time and wasn’t surprised that it was closer to lunch than breakfast. Dilan noticed and shrugged. Braig ate quickly and Dilan didn’t really eat much of anything so he assumed the other had eaten well before then. When he was done he was practically vibrating in his skin, he wanted to go outside so bad. He knew it was crazy, technically he was outside a couple days ago, granted bleeding out in the process, but still he wasn’t some princess in a tower her whole life. But Braig had been locked up. Locked up inside himself and that had been terrifying and lonely and so dark. So standing outside the castle now in the sun and fresh air with Dilan walking quietly around familiar grounds with him he was practically beaming. They walked till he was too tired and needed to take a break.

“I’m going to check in with Aeleus, he should be nearby. You okay for a minute or do you want me to wait for you?” Braig snorted and waved him off. Dilan kicked one of his feet. “Don’t pass out while I’m gone.” Braig swung at his arm but only grazed him as Dilan laughed. He was grinning though. This felt right, more right then he had since waking up. 

“I was wondering if he had actually injured you beyond usefulness but here you are lazing about.” Braig’s stomach dropped so fast that he was sure he was going to puke. Then he turned to face the voice and yeah he was going to puke. “Are you ignoring me over a petty injury, pathetic. Still I have a job for you, you have a role yet to play.” 

Braig stood up and made to leave and he felt the thing get summoned. Turning he looked down at Luxu’s stupid keyblade with as much disdain as he could manage. Braig looked back at this old man with his plans, and keyblades, and just tried to convey hate with every fiber of his being. If he hadn’t shown up maybe none of this would have happened. But no Luxu would have found a way, Luxu had been here already waiting for an opportunity. He wasn’t here now though to push Braig’s heart and body to where he needed it until it was too late to fight back. He could fight back now. 

“I take your silence as defiance. It can be expected, but I am afraid I need vessels and you are already in too deep.” He is pointing the stupid keyblade at him and Braig is suddenly very aware he isn’t armed. So he drops and rolls away from the lunge which surprises the old coot and is probably the only reason he is able to take off the minute the bastard misses his target. His heart feels like it’s going to bruise his insides the way it's beating so hard but that’s fine because that means it’s still there. He’s been possesed enough in his lifetime to know he isn’t doing this again. He isn’t some freaking heart hotel. 

He books it down and alley and like the coward he is at the moment hides and prays the old coot decides he isn’t worth the struggle at the moment. Braig hears footsteps though and covers his mouth to hide his breathing, and he swears to god if the bastard puts a piece of his heart in him again after he just escaped Luxu he will off himself any way he can. He hears the footsteps stop then somethings grabbing him and pulling him away from the wall and he wants to scream but it’s not the old man. It’s some girl with blue hair. She’s looking at him concerned and Braig isn’t sure who the hell she is but she’s just looking at him then looking around like she was expecting, something.

“Hello, are you alright?” Braig stares at her, she stares back so without a better response he just shakes his head. She nods slowly and looks in the direction he came from. “It might sound strange but have you ran into anyone not from around here besides me?” He is starting to remember why he knows this girl. She has a keyblade. He nods to answer her question and she suddenly looks so serious. “Was it…”

“Xehanort..” Is what he chokes out and he is frustrated thats all he can say but he needs to do something because he remembers, he remembers the other kids. Terra and the twerp. They don't deserve what the old coots going to do. Aqua for her part looks murderous at the mention of Xehanort’s name and Braig likes this kid a lot. “Terra..don’t...fight...lose. Stop.” Aqua stops looking pissed long enough to look confused and concerned and Braig is cursing his life because he can barely choke out an explanation but he needs too because this is all one big trap and death wish and just this once he doesn’t want to be the freaking asshole. “Don’t..let..to..grave.” He’s cringing at his own cracking voice. At the words coming out wrong and hopes Aqua understands, god please understand. Aqua for her part puts a hand on his shoulder and nods so seriously he wants to do more laughing and crying just to get the frustration out. 

“Okay, I will take care of it. Terra’s lucky to have met a friend like you.” Braig wants to laugh hysterically at that. He wonders what will happen if Terra gets out of this and Aqua tells him who saved his skin. “Do you live around here? I can walk you back just in case.” He snorts at the thought but glances back the way he came and shrugs before pointing at the castle. Aqua looks temporarily surprised then grins. “Seems I have a knack for rescuing princesses.” Braig startles and realizes he’s being mocked and well if she wants to be like that he is justified at shoving her shoulder and being slightly annoyed when she barely budges and laughs at his irritated expression. He tries not to be impressed that her arm was basically all muscle. Seriously she could probably bend press him if she wanted.

“Alright well lead the way.” Braig nods and does just that. He is thankful for Aqua’s offer. Though he realizes he probably doesn’t deserve it. 

They reach the castle entrance and he turns to thank her when he hears a commotion. Then he realizes the commotion may be about him because he definitely hears Master Ansem calling his name. Turning he grimaces as Ansem, DIlan, and Aeleus are all headed their way. Aqua laughs and he looks at her confused.  
“Are you sure you're not the princess?” He tries to kick her and she steps back out of the way easily still all smiles. 

“Braig, what is going on? Dilan said you were gone and considering what has happened we feared much worse.” Turning Ansem looked at Aqua with a frown. She bowed slightly which Braig didn’t think was really necessary, Ansem was a king technically but he barely acted like one. Mostly he acted like an over bearing father. 

“I apologize. My name is Aqua. I was passing through looking for my friends and...Braig made an attempt to assist me after he was...” Braig shot her a panicked look and Aqua frowned but continued. “After I ran into him.” Dilan was looking at him oddly but if he noticed he didn’t say anything. Ansem nodded and smiled at Aqua. 

“Well you have my thanks for bringing him back. Braig was recently injured and there were concerns that whatever caused it may have come back. I’m glad it was not anything of the sort. You have my gratitude and are welcome here anytime.” Aqua had looked at Braig intently when the injuries were brought up and she had that determined I’m going to kill a person look on her face again. He wonders what she thinks caused it but determinedly stares straight ahead. She smiles at Ansem and bids a farewell to them before pausing at Braig.

“I’ll visit with everyone once we're all together again. Thanks for your help Braig.” He shrugs and she laughs at that as if he told some great joke and then she’s sprinting off. Turning back to Master Ansem he shrugs again because he’s pretty sure he wore out all his allotted talking for the day. Which is fine because it gets him out of whatever this conversation would have been. Ansem puts a hand on his shoulder and sighs.

“Next time you need to run off, leave a note, save this old man a heart attack. You may be a guard but you are injured and we still have not apprehended the culprit.” Ansem stares at him particularly longer after that comment but then continues when Braig merely shrugs again. “It is best to err on the side of caution until you can properly arm yourself again at least. Even wanted to check your depth perception first but I think practicing in the training rooms would not be harmful as long as someone assists for the time being.” Braig is relieved at that. He could work with that and honestly his depth perception hadn’t needed any getting used to all things considered in his situation. In truth it probably would have been more jarring to have two eyes again after so long. He grinned at Dilan and Aeleus who were both trying to look exasperated by his excitement to get to shoot at things again. They probably realized they had been volunteered to monitor these training sessions after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Princess Braig. That is all.


	4. Know in your heart, you're alive Destiny is on your side

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Braig is pretty sure that he is least qualified for most of this.

The next few days are better in his opinion. He gets his bandages removed and upgraded to an eyepatch which has him and Ienzo running around the castle pretending to be pirates for a better half of a day, it ended when treasure was successfully procured in way of sea salt ice creams. His face is permanently scarred and it’s pretty rough to look at but he already remembered how bad it looked so oh well. He remembers yellow eyes, pointed ears, and whitening hair in his reflection too but that isn’t their now and he just avoids mirrors in case his eyes play tricks on him. 

He needs meds a little less but his eye still hurts from time to time, as well as his head and chest but he never mentions those. Braig also get’s to use his guns and much to the shock of pretty much everyone besides him his aim is perfectly fine. Even mutters something under his breath about how he was probably shooting with one eye open this whole time anyway to show off because he would be a reckless idiot to have poor gun safety practices and he merely smiles with as much teeth as he can at the scientist.

With his depth perception fine he gets to get back to guard duty and he never thought he’d be so excited to maintain order so much in his life. 

Aqua hasn’t returned, and Braig tries not to dwell on what that could mean, what he couldn’t prevent. Still the Xehanort Terra never appears so he hopes for the best but waits each day for the worst. 

He wakes up screaming frequently, sometimes more than once a night. Dilan usually is the one who gets to him first and he only hopes Ienzo’s room is far enough away that he doesn’t hear him. No one ever brings it up at least and he’s too much a coward to ask. He also never finds the thing Dilan says he’s missing. Ienzo and Master Ansem both bring it up as well but he has no answers when they ask why he stopped wearing whatever it is. No one can find it so it’s pointless anyway.

He still has trouble talking but the others are getting used to days where he can’t choke out any response. Braig wishes he could just turn his voice back on but it seems pretty satisfied to stay as far as possible. 

Today he’s patrolling near the entrance when he gets a weird feeling, and he ends up following the weird feeling away from the regular patrol path. He ends up at the fountain and is confused until he realizes he’s not the only one there. The little girl with red hair is hiding behind a tree but not very well. He stands there staring at the child and debates just leaving before realizing that he should probably check to make sure the kid is not actually in danger and wander over. He stands next to her watching her peak out from behind the tree before leaning over slightly. 

“Why?” At least he can talk today. The little redhead girl jumps quite a bit and Braig snorts as she looks at him startled. She’s not scared for very long as she suddenly shushes him and points back to where she was looking. Braig shrugs and kneels down next to her to watch whatever it is their watching. Nothing happens for quite a while, and really he applauds this kids patience but then he watches a bunch of freaking heartless appear and nearly has a panic attack. He grabs onto the girls arm to get them out of there but the heartless merely scurry around in a circle then vanish back to the darkness. He let’s go of her arm and sighs in relief before looking back at the kid. Princess his heart un helpfully supplies. He frowns at her as she blinks back up at him. Keyblade his heart whispers more concerned and he tries to resist the urge to smack himself in the face. He knows her. Just can’t remember how, she doesn’t seem to really know him so it must be something that happened later. Hopefully something that will never happen now. The little girl takes his silence as permission to explain which is fine. His head was starting to hurt again anyway.

“They started showing up a few days ago. They are scary like the other monsters but weird because they don’t normally come after anyone else...I didn’t want to worry Grandma so if something feels wrong,” She puts a hand on her heart. “I go hide. That way she’s safe.” She seems so proud of herself, Braig wants to pull his hair out in frustration. 

“No.” She blinks at him surprised and then waits for more. Braig tries to focus on what needs to be said, his head hurts so dang much.

“Castle, for help. If, next time.” Red head girl blinks up at him slowly and then beams like a freaking lighthouse at him. 

“I should go to the castle next time they show up! Okey doke I will I promise.” He nods seriously because he can’t think of a better response and at least the kids smart enough. He pats her on the head and she honest to god giggles, he wasn’t sure he heard someone giggle before so dang weird, and waves her off to do whatever weird pure hearted kids do after they got chased down by heartless. 

He goes back to patrol and tries not to think about how he’s going to explain the girl when she shows up one day running from little heartless bastards. Braig decides to put that in his things to worry about later section of thoughts.

Back on the regular guard patrol the rest of the day was uneventful and he wandered inside for dinner not expecting much else. After dinner when they are all lounging around as Even, Dilan and Aeleus are talking about notes on something and Ienzo and him are not so discreetly throwing paper balls from abandoned notes at each other and Ansem the Wise is quietly not throwing paper at the back of Ienzo’s head as well while he pretends to just be listening to Even’s comments on some sort of experiment and Dilan suddenly interrupts with something surprising. Or it should be but instead it just has him blinking slowly as his head does the this has happened before or you know this headache thing he gets now.

“Isa and Lea broke into the castle again. They keep trying to get to the lower rooms but we can’t tell what for, it’s like they're trying to find something.” Dilan frowned and looked at Aeleus who nodded along seriously. 

Braig frowns he thinks he remembers something, there was a girl that wasn't there or wouldn’t be there or never was. Or maybe not. His head hurt and he pressed a hand against his bad eye as if that would relieve the pressure before throwing another wadded up paper at Ienzo and ‘missing’ to hit Master Ansem.

“Hmm. Well just keep an eye on them, if they break in again just ensure they don’t get into anything that could harm them. Children are often led by their hearts so there must be a reason.”

“We shouldn’t indulge the behavior Master. It’s not exactly a good idea to encourage breaking and entering.” Even handed some more scrap pages to Ienzo and Braig snorted. Encouraging bad behavior indeed. 

“Give job, won’t break in.” Braig wrinkled his nose at his speech. He needed his brain to catch up with his thoughts here because caveman talk was starting to grate on his nerves. 

Master Ansem looked at him surprised so Braig tossed a paper ball at him which Dilan intervened and caught. He ended up throwing it back at Braig who just didn’t bother catching it and dramatically fell to the floor like he had been wounded. Ienzo dissolved into laughter at the overdramatic display and Braig grinned.

“Hmm. Well we could make the offer. It would at least make their exploring less intrusive and easier to monitor.” Even squawked on about more children and babysitting Ienzo and Braig was enough. Ienzo and Braig unloaded their paper balls at him in retaliation. 

The rest of the evening devolves into more science talk and paper ball fights till slowly they all excuse themselves to bed. Braig heads to his room at first but thinks about Isa and Lea and stops. With a put upon sigh he grabs a light and heads down to the lesser used levels. 

Some of the halls don’t have power still and a lot won’t, don’t, will never, now that they don’t intend to build more labs. It’s strange because it’s not how he remembers it but is exactly as it should be and his brain is fighting against the two versions of what is and isn’t. Headaches back with a vengeance. Braig wanders for a while to zero success until he thinks he hears a voice. He sees no one though so he goes back the way he came and still nothing. He does a circle and well he hears it again. It’s a girl for sure. She sounds confused but no one is there. Not physically at least. 

“Hello.” He waits and moves to leave when no response comes at first but then quiet and confused he hears it. 

‘hello’ 

He holds his light up higher and tries to ignore the panic seeping in at the shadows in the room and the fact that he can’t see this person in the dark. With a start though he realizes he feels a presence nearby. 

‘your scared, your heart is, it’s my fault.’

“No” 

‘it’s okay, i won’t hurt you, can’t even, there's nothing left.’

Braig looks around uncertainty and out of the corner of his eye he thinks he sees a star made of shimmering lights. But when he looks at it directly it’s gone.

‘it’s me. you must have a strong heart to see.’ He wants to protest but can’t find it in him too. 

“Can..I..Help..you?”

‘i don’t know, i was supposed to do something important but i no longer remember and can’t seem to leave, i can’t even remember my name, just that the place that was is gone, and my friends that were have left. like dandelions.’

“Okay...Your..only..heart...need...ride...to leave.” Braig really has to think about what to do next but this girl doesn’t feel like Luxu or the coot so he gestures to himself.

‘you are afraid of this, your heart is afraid.’ He shrugs as a response but doesn’t take back the offer.

‘you are very kind, i promise to sleep and will leave as soon as i can.’ Braig nods and tries not to panic as his chest suddenly feels strange and there's a familiar distinct presence of another will in his head. It’s not controlling or invasive like others and eventually the girl’s heart settles away quiet and dormant in his mind. He feels oddly calm suddenly and quietly takes his light and goes to bed. He does not have a nightmare.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who could the heart be, idk you tell me? I have idea's but it's not confirmed in canon so I can do whatever I want.


	5. Aching to believe, empty hands, no stone to throw

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Braigs head is causing him problems. Lea probably thinks he's coocoo for coacoa puffs. He's really not wrong.

Braig almost thinks last night was a dream, or a weirdly mellow nightmare. He realizes that it’s not the case when he sees the lantern sitting by his door and well of he concentrates he can feel it. The other heart sleeping in him, which is terrifyingly familiar but not all the same. None of the hearts he hosted before were so...quiet. Still he had made this choice and would have to live for it for now at least. He briefly realises he should have thought this through better but hindsight was a bitch.

Oddly though he honestly felt better then he had since, well since being possessed by some ancient asshole bent on fulfilling the prophecies of his absentee most likely equally an asshole master and was probably seeking the end of worlds or some bull but really just wrecked Braig’s life like he didn’t do a good enough job being a disaster.

The other presence did some strange humming, warm feeling, in agreement and he laughed a bit startled at the feeling. So the heart was familiar with the jerk who possessed him, charming, at least it agreed that the guy was a dick.

The morning besides his new guest was uneventful. That was Master Ansem called them together to ‘introduce’ them to Isa and Lea. Which one was hilarious because they had met the twerps before, two activated the headache he got almost every day as his brain tried to not picture taller red and blue brats, and three the two brats looked like they had been caught red handed which made him wonder if they had been sneaking around again when they were offered jobs.

Isa got stuck with Even, who began to rant about babysitting and Ienzo merely looked long suffering in his direction before heading off with them. Lea was stuck with guard duty, he doubted the kid had patience for the lab stuff anyway. To be fair Braig rarely did either, Dilan and Aeleus took more shifts with the lab work then he ever did. Which was fine by him because he had a habit of letting experiments, well, explode.

“Alright Lea, I guess we’ll do a quick round of what guard duty routine looks like. Your probably familiar with the rounds near the front gate’s though.” Hey, would you look at that full sentences. He wondered if it had anything to do with his new resident. Braig decided that was on the worry about later list too. The kid at least looked guilty for a second before he shrugged.

“I’m an overachiever, already got em memorized.” And geeze Braig had to stop for a second and steady himself because, yeah this was going to be difficult. Dilan frowned at him as Braig pressed a hand to his bad eye.

_‘Axel!’_

_‘Axel? Please. The name’s Lea. Got it memorized?’_

_‘Your not supposed to be here.’_

  
_‘Promises to keep, I’ll always be there to get my friends back…’_

“BRAIG!” He jumps back from Dilan who is shaking his shoulder. Aeleus and Lea are gone he realizes and he frowns. Dilan is looking at him funny and he realizes his new heart friend feels kind of panicked. He blinks stupidly at Dilan and carefully drops his hand.

“Sorry, migraine. Wh…,” He looks around the room with a frown. “Where’s Aeleus and,” Axel, “Lea…” Dilan was still holding his shoulder, he wasn't talking and Braig’s head hurt so freakin much.

“It’s fine. I’m fine. Let’s get going.” Dilan didn’t look like he believed him, which you know was fair, but slowly he released Braigs arm like he was afraid the other guard was about to collapse, which yeah that was also fair.

“ You should let Even check you out, maybe he can give you something to help,” Braig made a disgusted face, “Or don’t and suffer needlessly and unnecessarily worry everyone around.”

“Oh come on that’s low. Fine whatever I’ll ask him. I don’t know if it will do any good but whatever.” Braig waved a hand in a dismissive manner. Dilan smirked in what he recognized as his I totally won this fight face and Braig rolled his eyes at his smug expression.

“As annoying as your voice is, I am glad you’ve regained the functionality to form coherent thoughts at the very least. I was concerned you would be forever limited to speaking like a two year old, now I see you’ve managed the language of a three year old and offer you my sincerest congratulations on the development.” Braig snorted and swung an arm around Dilan pulling on his shoulders intentionally to bring the man down to his level.

“Hey as if. My vocabulary is way too colorful to be some ankle biters. If a kid talks like I do I’d be concerned about their upbringing.”

“Fair as we are all so concerned at upbringing must have occurred to create you.” Dilan stood back up to his full height and Braigs hand dropped to the closer shoulder.

“Clearly I popped into existence a fully grown bastard.”

“This explains so much…”

Aeleus and Lea came into view when they entered the garden and Aeleus was explaining post rotations to a very bored looking red head.

“Geeze Flamsilocks, you look like someone stole you ice cream.” His head gave a warning throb at the usage of the nickname and the other heart felt like it was more awake. Great he needed to try to focus like a person not having a mental breakdown. Lea scowled at the nickname.

“Oh come on kid, maybe later you can get a tour of parts of the castle that you haven’t snuck into yet.” The kid crossed his arms and made a point of not looking at any of them.

“Geeze we were just trying to visit the girl. I don’t see what the big deal is, why doesn’t she ever come out anyway? You creeps locking up girls or something?” Lea’s hands are on his hips and he looks determined…

Axel looks so determined when he goes to try to save Roxas but he’ll fail. This is all destined to fail. It’s all destined...prophesied...stupid book, stupid box….

The other heart pushed at something and Braig blinked away the memories, future, thoughts, whatever, and was glad that no one noticed this time as both Aeleus and Dilan were now explaining there is no girl. Braig supposes their not completely wrong and the heart in his chest agrees. The situation is complicated and he doubts Lea would listen if he tried to explain it.

“It’s a weird game to be playing at your age isn’t it, imaginary princess you have to save from a castle.” Would you look at that the kid can turn red in the face too.

“Whatever, you're all full of it.” Braig shrugs and Dilan and Aeleus look long suffering, but that’s normal in the long run of things.

“We’re friends so me and Isa will get her back, from wherever you hid her.” Braig stared at Lea. Lea stared back determine till he realized Braig wasn’t going to respond and he shifted nervously. Blinking slowly Braig shook his head to try to focus and grimaced at the other two guards who were watching him concerned.

“Yeah kid. Whatever you say.”

The rest of the tour was pretty routine and Lea even being a dumb kid seemed to get the gist of it. They met up with the other apprentices for lunch and Isa was immediately glued to Lea’s side and trying to act subtle about how he looked at Lea. Ienzo made a disgusted gagging face at Braig when he noticed and he cackled because yeah the kid had a point. Even seemed to have gotten over the babysitting issue because apparently besides breaking and entering Isa was pretty much a perfect student.

It’s weird because this has happened but not happened once already. There’s no Xehanort, and Ansem is still here. The heart experiments are still just theoretical for the most part and Radiant Garden is still a beacon of light. He keeps expecting to find Terra with the Old coots heart unconscious on patrols. He keeps waiting to feel Luxu taking control periodically till he can’t get control back and Braig is just a silent observer in his own body. He keeps waiting for the other apprentices to call him a traitor, to accuse him of crimes he didn’t, did, hasn’t, will, won’t commit. When he looks at the other’s he sometimes see’s an Ansem cloaked in red and full of hate, a closed of Even with no regards to lives, a Dilan who feels nothing but rage, a Aeleus silent and intent on destruction, a Ienzo with dark bags under his eyes and no trust for any of them anymore. He expects to see a scarred Isa, and a tear tattooed Lea. He expects to wake up and see nothing but darkness. Braig feels panic rising in his chest and he tenses in anticipation of the suffocating feeling and anxiety but then...it stops.

His heart,mind, whatever it is settles and untangles and he’s just in Radiant Garden. It takes him a minute to realize what happened and his hand absently wander’s to his chest as if he can physically touch the other presence.

‘it will be okay. we will not let it happen.’ He lets out a breath he didn’t know he was holding in and tries to convey the feeling of gratitude silently. It must get across because he feels warmth in response and then he assumes the heart has gone back to sleeping. The other apprentices haven’t noticed thankfully that he was having a moment, and honestly these days he was always having a moment.

After lunch and the rest of patrol and giving Lea a hard time just for the hell of it Braig excuses himself to turn in early. Dilan reminds him he promised to check in with Even about his head and Braig points out he didn’t ‘promise’ jack. He did agree he would see about pain med’s in the morning. So he makes to retreat to his room and is a little startled to be joined by Master Ansem.

At first they're just walking the same way and he thinks that maybe it’s just coincidence but then he realizes that Master Ansem is keeping the same pace intentionally and he fights back a sigh. This means they're going to have a talk. He isn’t sure about what though as he definitely hasn’t blown up anything recently and they already established he’s as recovered as he’s going to get. It certainly hasn’t been long enough for Dilan to tattle on him about his headache issue. Would take like a week of not doing anything usually for the other guard to get fed up and go to Ansem to deal with his bull.

They make it to his room in silence and Braig looks at Master Ansem expectantly but he’s only being watched with a raised eyebrow. He feels like a child whose parent is waiting for them to admit to their wrong doing, and though it hasn’t even happened yet, and will not ever, he wants to admit everything he’s done or at least his body did. But at the risk of sounding crazy he bites back the urge to spill his guts, or heart for that matter. They just stand there watching each other for what for Braig feels like a small eternity. When nothing happens he slowly turns and goes to enter his room.

“Braig, if you were in danger of some kind, from something or someone, you would tell me?” Braig turns back around and blinks stupidly in a not reply.

“I mean yeah, if it didn’t put you in danger too. Of course I would.” He feels like that’s obvious. He’s been a guard so long part of his job was dealing with danger and reporting it. Sure his reports weren’t always timely but he always finished them eventually.

“If it doesn’t put…” Ansem frowns but nods slowly like he understands something and Braig is so confused by this conversation. He feels like he is missing something important here.  
“I would hope that even if it was dangerous to me that you would still consider coming to me for help. Do you understand Braig?” Frowning he shrugs but nods regardless.

“I mean I guess...Kinda defeats the purpose of having guards if I’m putting you in danger don’t you think. But sure. I gotcha.” Ansem stares at him a while longer like he’s looking for something else but then he nods seriously and turns to leave.

“I bid you goodnight then. I apologize for keeping you up.” Braig watches him go and then shakes his head in an attempt to clear his thoughts.

“Yeah you too old man.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have big plans for things. Might require a time skip later and some explanation and clarification in notes when it happens.


	6. I remember when a dream was just a dream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frisbees are not proper weapons.

It’s just about around a week later when he thinks about that conversation with Ansem again. He and Lea are sparring, which is a nice way to say he’s throwing random shit at the kid while the kid tries to use freaking frisbees like a weapon. Bizarre brat needs a better weapon, those plastic nuisances couldn’t protect him from shit. Shouldn’t need protection if Radiant Garden doesn’t fall, won’t fall, can’t…

Braig chucks another stick at the kid, mainly because he’s running out of ammo having exhausted the bouncy balls he commandeered from Ienzo earlier. Which were going to be a pain to pick up but maybe he could push that up on the hot head who just got nailed in the head with said stick he tossed. 

Eventually they had petered out into sitting and throwing those bouncy balls back and forth while they took a break for lunch.

“So why is someone trying to kill you? I mean I get you’re an ass but like it’s only half the time.” Braig jumped a bit startled, not expecting the question.

“I’m sorry who’s trying to do what?” He looked at Lea like he had two heads. There was no way the kid had just asked him that.

“The guy who's trying to kill you. It’s why everyone’s weird about things right, and what happened to you, you know. I figure he’s gotta be still around right?” Lea shrugs like this was a completely normal conversation to be having after training for the past hour.

“...why do you figure that?” 

“Because everyone is paranoid if you run off for like any amount of time. I heard Master Ansem talking to Dilan about how he thinks someone’s trying to off you or something but you like don’t want to tell them or worry them or something.” Lea looks nervous and he realizes he should probably get on his case about spying, but Lea, Axel, Lea was always so very good at deception and snooping, honestly it could come in handy if the kid had practice, doesn’t matter he’s never going to be in a situation to use. 

Braig stares at him before looking down to the ball in his hand. He bounces it off the wall closest to him and catches it. He thinks about how to respond and tries for something close to the truth. Lea isn’t asking him this completely off the cuff, he’s pretty sure Master Ansem has been hinting at them to try to get him to talk and he isn’t sure he blames him. He hasn’t been forthcoming with information but if Lea goes and reports this well that might be better. It means he avoids the other’s trying to get him to explain more and Lea doesn’t seem like he is going to push for more.

“I don’t think he’s still around...He could come back though and sometimes I go to check to be sure he hasn’t.” Lea does look startled. He realises that the kid probably was expecting him to either lie or tell him that everyone was just fussy old worry warts.

“So someone is trying to kill you! Dude that’s fu…” Braig waved a hand at the kid to get him to stop talking.

“Watch your mouth kid, lord knows Even is going to give me an earful if he hears you cursing. He about took my head off for that time Ienzo said the F bomb after an experiment backfired.”

“Oh my god, I would pay to hear Ienzo cuss.” To be honest he thought it was pretty hilarious too but technically it wasn’t appropriate for a kid his age to say things like that. If you're old enough to lose your heart, you're old enough to...

“Anyway the guy wasn’t necessarily trying to kill me, it’s complicated. But let’s go with this, if you see some guy with white hair and yellow eyes you book it out of there, just in case…” Lea seems to consider this so seriously that Braig is shocked the kid is capable of it. But then again he’s been accused plenty of times of never taking anything seriously.

“...okay.” Lea nods like it’s some sort of promise, and Braig kinda hopes that if it comes to it the kid takes it to heart and is gone before any crap hits the fan again. Can’t be again if it never happened to begin with.

The bouncy ball he chucks at Lea nails him in the forehead and Braig literally falls over laughing.

Later Braig convinces Lea to help him clean up the training room, because he was using the balls just as much technically and really hadn’t Braig technically been helping the kid out or something. 

The kid disappears to probably go find Isa, and stare at him when he thinks Isa can’t see like he’s made of moonlight or some poetic shit. Braig returns the balls to Ienzo who when asked why he had so many anyway was just told cryptidly that they were for ‘science’. While that was ominous he decided the best choice was not to pry or risk that ‘science’ be directed at him in some way. 

Braig ends up outside when evening is getting close, partially because he was feeling restless but also he did obsessively check the place Terra had shown up, hadn’t shown up. He wasn’t sure what he would do if he did appear. He couldn’t just leave him, last time the guy had amnesia, maybe he could convince him he was more Terra then Xehanort, not like there was a keybearer around to…

Red hair girl has. will have, had a keyblade. He stops in the square and just isn’t sure what to do with that thought. The girl was like Ienzo’s age, maybe younger, he couldn’t imagine her fighting much of anything seriously. He has a hard time taking Lea seriously as it is. Terra hadn’t shown up though and might not ever, but something in him, his heart maybe, was telling him that for all things changed for him that Terra, Aqua, and Ventus were not likely as lucky. The girl needed someone to train her though at the very least and if Aqua was gone then she didn’t really have any options. None of the apprentices besides him really had any information about the keyblades and what was to come. There was that mouse king but he wasn’t sure where he even was and how to contact him, or if he would believe him to begin with. Keyblades drew heartless to them and that put the girl and radiant garden in danger. There was no other keyblade wielders running about during this time though…

‘i could.’ Oh right, other heart. And wait what did she mean that she could?

‘teach the girl to use the keyblade.’ Really that was, well not the craziest option all things considered but their in itself lay a serious issue one that had him uncomfortable at the thought.

‘no, you would stay in control. i am not strong enough anyway, but i can teach you to then teach her.’ That was an option but would that even work.

‘it will have too.’ Braig nodded and then realized that he was nodding to himself in the middle of the square probably looking like a crazy person. He quickly continued on to check for Terra but already was certain that he would find nothing. If more heartless appeared he would see to that girl learning the keyblade. Who knew really if it would ever even come to that? 

It’s late when he gets back and he tries to ignore the way all the shadows look like they're creeping closer to him the longer he is out. If he all but runs inside the entrance to the castle well everyone should just be thankful he didn’t slam the damn door. Braig tries not to berate himself for being paranoid as he heads to his room. In the hall outside his room is Dilan, which I mean it’s kinda late so that’s surprising, he thought and kinda hoped they would all be asleep. Dilan raises an eyebrow but doesn’t ask where he was which is kinda a blessing because he didn’t have the time to think up a lie or even an explanation that wouldn’t sound just as much like a lie. 

“Hey, what’s up? Missing out on beauty sleep lurking outside my room you know.” Dilan huffs but it’s more a laugh and Braig grins at little victories. 

“I found it.” Braig looks at Dilan super confused because he wasn’t aware anything was missing until he’s holding out a red fabric something and it occurs to him that everyone had said he wasn’t wearing something. Carefully he takes it from Dilan’s hand and isn’t sure why he’s being so careful. He can’t even remember what was important about it. 

“One of those things, the little monsters that have been around had it. Don’t know why.” Braig nods stiffly and okay that’s weird he guesses but he isn’t sure what to even say to that so yeah just nodding works. 

“Thanks.” Is what he ends up kinda croaking out in a response and Dilan nods slowly but doesn’t really go anywhere. Braig just stares at the fabric in his hand and thinks he remembers it hadn’t always been his, there had been someone else who wore it first, someone important and he realizes suddenly that there's a lot he can’t seem to remember. Because Braig can’t recall how he ended up Ansem the Wise’s apprentice, or what his parents' names and faces were, he can’t remember why this piece of fabric is so important, and all of this has him leaning against his door as he tries to calm down. It occurs to him that either he must have known these things at some point, and his heart and the other heart both agree that somethings wrong. So it’s easy to come to the conclusion that this was freaking Luxu’s fault again. Braig is missing parts of himself, memories of things and he might not be able to ever get them back and he would be pissed if he could actually breathe right. 

When he finally calms down somewhat he is aware that Dilan is not only still there but sitting next to him with his arm slung over his shoulder in some sort of side hug thing. He thinks that this is embarrassing for a second then decides he does not give a damn and leans more into his friends side.

“It was not my intention to send you into hysterics.”

“Not your fault dude. Kinda my new normal isn’t it?” He tries to laugh but it sounds so fake even he’s cringing.

“Whatever happens you know I’m not, we all aren’t going anywhere. You're stuck with us I’m afraid.” Braig can’t look at him. That was well rough, because they might not ever go anywhere but Braig had. He had been forced to leave them, and he wondered if they had hated him for it, they had to, for abandoning them, betraying them, lying to them. But he hadn’t done that. It hadn’t happened and wouldn’t happen and they would never know. Except he does. He still remembers and it freaking hurts all the time. 

“Dude, feeling particularly sappy today. If anyone’s stuck with anyone it’s more like ya’ll are stuck with me. I’m like glitter, you ain't ever getting rid of me.” Braig is still leaning on his shoulder and neither of them move for a while. When they finally go to bed Braig is still gripping the fabric that had been returned to him and he falls asleep holding it to his chest.


	7. Losing it all on my own I had a heart then

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Braig and Even talk.

Even is the worst, and Braig hated lab duties. He’s pretty much sprawled across a table instead of using the perfectly serviceable chair next to him. Even is on a tirade, lecture, rant or something about whatever it is he’s working on. Ienzo is chiming in every now and then as much as the pint sized genius can contribute. Kid’s a mini genius, which is why Even and him get along so well. He can keep up with the tirade’s of science the blonde goes on. Braig not so much. He wasn’t stupid, and he had taken part in a fair share of experimenting, technically he’s gone further with experiments that Even would never consider now…

Regardless though he just didn’t have the attention span for this. He was more hands on and discussing and documenting and all that jazz was just not something he could focus on. Eventually Even just kinda droned in the background as he let his mind wander. This went on for a while until Even at some point made his way over to him and dropped a stack of books on his chest.

“Hey what the hell!” Braig sat up and the books toppled to his lap. He looked around and realized it was just the two of them and sighed.

“You could at least make an effort to pretend to listen.” Even sat in the chair Braig hadn’t used and began to write something on the stupid clipboard of his. Braig picked up one of the books in his lap and frowned down at the title. ‘Beyond Light and Dark, the theory of the balance of a heart’. Braig waved the book in Even’s direction.

“You don’t read this crap do you?” Even looked up from what he was doing and shrugged. Before sticking a hand out as if he was afraid Braig was going to smack him with said book. To be fair it was a possibility.

“It’s research, honestly all of this is theoretical anyway. It’s not like we have any subjects we can use and the morality of that is dubious at best. So theory it is.” Braig snorts and opens the book with a frown.

“Shouldn’t believe any of the drivel Dr. Hollander wrote. Man’s view on the world is freakin warped as hell and don’t even get me started on how wrong this stuff is. ‘The balance of ones heart can create a perfect superior being. A strong heart can maintain and control the darkness while also keeping their light…’ Total bullshit my dude.” Even looks up from his clipboard with an odd expression.

“I wasn’t aware you had read any of Dr. Hollanders work. I had meant to send that with you as a punishment for lying about the whole time. I wouldn’t have taken you to read a theoretical book on hearts on your own time,” He hadn’t, Even had made him or was supposed to make him read it for homework last time as well. “How do you suppose he is wrong? None of this can be tested.”

“Can’t be tested by people with morals and ethics, what makes you think this Dr. Hollander guy had any? Wasn’t he a member of the same lab that one guy was? The one who did child experiments?” He ignores the fact that once upon a time a man with white haired had distorted Even’s morals so much that he had done the same. 

“That story is closer to a ghost story it happened well before we were born and the actual ‘child experimentation’ has no real documented proof to speak of.” Braig shrugs and shuts the book before dropping it on the floor.

“It’s absolute drivel Even. Darkness can’t just be controlled and still allow you to maintain your light. Shit like that has consequences.” Even rolls his eyes and when did this become him lecturing the other because Braig was beginning to feel uncomfortable being the responsible apprentice. Change of subject was in order.

“Where’s Ienzo run off too?”

“He was given an errand to run with a vague enough time frame that he can abuse it and act like a child with those brat’s Isa and Lea that are now running around the castle as well.” Braig lays back against the table again and opens the other book that had been dropped on him, ‘The light in all of us’ by some Dr. Crescent. Seemed more promising.

“Look at you Even, such a good Dad you are.”

“I am not his…”

“Aw now don’t be like that, singles with kids are very attractive these days. We can finally set you up with a nice guy, Master Ansem will be thrilled to walk you down the aisle.”

“Would you cease your ridiculous…”

“Hey I am only trying to keep your best interests in mind. As an older brother…”  
“Older brother my ass, you're more like an infant. Would you care to be the flower girl for this imaginary wedding of mine.”

“Excuse you I am at least a toddler. Also I would be the best flower girl.” Even smacked his leg with his clipboard and Braig made a half assed attempt to kick him back. “Ienzo get’s to be ring bearer obviously. Dilan and Aeleus can be your Men of honor.”

“Why am I fulfilling the female role of my hypothetical wedding?”

“Because that waistline deserves a proper tailored dress dude.” Even’s face turned so red that Braig nearly fell off the table laughing. 

“You are the worst. The absolute worst.” It’s said with no real bite though and eventually the conversation lulls and they both turn their attention back to what they had at hand, or literally in their hands. Braig would read in silence till he read something he disagreed with or just seemed bizarre. Even continued to scribble down who knows what but would listen and comment on Braig’s opinions. It was familiar, and Braig thinks he should have more memories of similar events but for all it feels like they do this all the time he finds the memories varied and mostly infrequent. He assumes it’s more things missing from his mind and he wonders how much of these people who are so important to him he has forgotten. 

Ienzo wanders back in eventually making an attempt to look nonchalant and not like he had just been running around the halls with the red and blue messes looking for the girl they were set on finding and then getting distracted by doing something like stair sledding. 

“Ienzo do you want to be the ring bearer at Even’s wedding?” Ienzo looks startled by the question and then looks between him and Even as if he is trying to unravel the world mysteries.

“Even is getting married?” He says it slowly as if he isn’t certain the words are right.

“Braig I swear I am going to…”

“I mean maybe one day but like planning ahead, I already called flower girl.” Even hits him with the clipboard again and Braig makes a show of flinging himself off the table dramatically holding his leg where he was hit. Ienzo though is standing by the door seriously contemplating something when Even turns back to him to try to stop the nonsense.

“I suppose ring bearer could be entertaining. You have my blessing for your wedding.” 

“I am not getting married and why would I need your blessing?”

“Do kids of single parents not get to give input into these things?” Even does this gaping like a fish thing before flinging his arms dramatically in the air and glaring at Braig before he flees the room. Ienzo, who had moved over to the stack of books littering the desk that he had taken over long ago, looked very proud of himself as he began sorting through his organized chaos.

“Congrats kid you win the day.” Ienzo doesn’t look up but he’s definitely smiling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is really just interlude. I really wanted to write something between Even and Braig though so here you go. Hope it's fine.


	8. In another place The only time I feel safe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kairi comes to the castle.

For a while everything just returns to routine. He gets up, goes on guard duty or assists infrequently in the labs, which really translates to picking at Even. Some days he trains with Dilan and Aeleus, some days he just trains the brat Lea, who is okay to have hang around when he isn’t mooning over the Isa. He sometimes asks his other heart resident questions and she answers kinda vaguely but from what he can tell she’s older than him somehow, and knows Luxu at least by name. She is also a key bearer who isn’t keen on Luxu doing whatever it is Luxu is doing. So makes her an ally. Which is good. What’s not good is her heart not getting much stronger and she sleeps most of the time more out of necessity then anything else. He worries she’s going to just vanish one of these days and there won’t be much else to be done about it. 

Besides he concerns Radiant Garden remains, well, radiant. It shows no signs of falling to darkness as it is, and the few heartless interlopers they dispatch are few and weak. Braig still gets fidgety for days when they appear and he lurks in the courtyard until he catches sight of the little redhead girl on days where he thinks there are too many. She doesn’t ever seem to be in danger or missing from action so he tries to relax and stay some semblance of positive. 

It’s freaking storming when things go wrong, because of course it is. It’s been more than a month since he’d been restored to just Braig and he should have known not to let his guard down. 

At first Braig is loitering around the library, Ienzo was reading and Braig, with some assistance from Lea and Isa after he egged them on enough, had built a book fort around the other boy. They were trying to figure out the best way to make a doorway that didn’t collapse immediately when Aeleus came in the room, soaking wet and a little worse for wear. 

“Braig something’s happened…” He’s up and running out of the library before Aeleus gets much more out. The man is hot on his heels though and quickly catches up to him to keep pace. 

“Master Ansem, Even, and Dilan went ahead. They sent me back to get you, some little girl showed up in the storm and said that monsters had attacked them.” They ran out the door and into the storm and Braig cringed at the lack of visibility. Aeleus steered them off towards the residential districts and they slowed down when they were greeted by several people loitering around their doorways looking on concerned. They spotted Master Ansem, and Even at a smaller house down the street. The little girl was their clinging with Even’s labcoat wrapped around her awkwardly. They were all soaked from the rain and Even was kneeling next to the girl talking about something with a serious expression. Master Ansem looked less than happy. 

“What happened?” They skidded to a stop and Braig noticed the house's windows were all shattered. He cringed before looking back at Ansem. 

“The heartless returned and…” He glanced at the girl before frowning and stopping his thought. Braig could only guess that there was a reason the kid’s grandma wasn’t around. Dilan came out of the house then looking grim, he shook his head and Braig tried not to wonder if he could have prevented this. He felt something hit his leg and he stumbled a bit startled. Looking down he was greeted by the girl clinging to him for dear life. Master Ansem sighed.

“Now Kairi, it is going to be okay,” Ansem looked back at the house and shook his head. “She will have to return with us until other arrangements are made, we should at least get out of the rain before we all catch a cold.” Braig watched the rest of the apprentices watch the girl, Kairi, unsure of how to proceed and he sighed before picking her up. 

“Well let’s go then. It’s freaking cold out here and I don’t fancy getting struck by lightning.” 

The trek back to the castle was mostly quiet and Braig tried not to think about how young Kairi was and how she wasn’t much older in the time he had already lived through. Back in the castle Isa, Lea, and Ienzo were loitering around the entrance trying to not look concerned when they came back soaking wet with another kid. Master Ansem waved them off though, which only meant they kept lingering in doorways as they all took turns getting dried off and keeping an eye on Kairi. She was really quiet and Even said it was most likely shock. At some point Ienzo, Lea, and Isa had begun dragging in pillows and blankets, and a very ridiculous teddy bear to pile around her and eventually they all took to laying around the sitting room he was holed up in waiting to see what happened. Dilan and Aeleus had gone back to the street to see if anything else had been attacked or anyone for that matter. Even was falling into the role of fussing Dad again as he kept checking Kairi’s temperature and fussing around the sitting room until Braig got so frustrated with his fidgeting around he tripped him into the seat next to him. Braig was just sitting. Master Ansem had commented about Kairi seeming to recognize him and Braig mentioned meeting her on patrol, which apparently meant he wanted to help babysit. Honestly he preferred this to returning to the street, for one the rain sucked, but mainly he was having a hard time coping with, well this failure. Heartless taking hearts could mean Radiant Garden could still fall, albeit slower. Without the machine it could give them more time to stop it. 

He would have to teach Kairi how to summon the keyblade. Braig didn’t really have much choice. The heart sent a feeling of agreement and he frowned slightly. Not right now though. The kid needed time to cope and Braig needed to figure out how he was going to explain any of this to the other’s if and probably when they found out what he was up to. Sure he would be able to explain training the kid as concern for her well being but well when the keyblade shows up there will probably be some questions.  
Eventually Dilan and Aeleus return with less than stellar news. Two families were missing from nearby houses as well as an older gentleman who lived alone next door. Broken windows and in one house the dining room looked like it had been splintered into a hundred pieces. 

Braig wanted to hit his head on the wall. Instead he helped send the brat’s to their rooms for the night and helped Even as he set Kairi up in a guest room. She still wasn’t talking but their was not much else they could do tonight. Braig hoped the sunrise would bring a positive light back to the world. 

“Kid my rooms two halls away okay, a left into the big hall and then another left. I’m the first door on the right. You need anything feel free to wake me up. If you can’t find me feel free to just yell until someone finds you. Lea yells when he's lost all the time as well so everyones used to it.” Kairi didn’t even look at him so he sighed, “Good night kid.” He shut the door and headed to his room to turn in. 

The next week Master Ansem sets about trying to find a place for Kairi, and after exhausting family and friends as being unable or otherwise not around anymore, Kairi becomes a fixture in the castle. Which is convenient for Braig but makes Even get dramatically aggravated for a while even as he personally makes her and Ienzo chocolate chip waffles for breakfast that morning and then takes them shopping to get Kairi some things for her new room. Kairi is so little and it takes her some time to adjust as much as it does them. 

She has nightmares. Screaming, crying terrors, in the middle of the night. They take turns based on who gets to her first really to calm her down. Aeleus buys her a night light shaped like a star. It changes colors and seems to help a bit. 

Lea and Kairi get along remarkably well. He carries her everywhere and Isa indulges her just as much because it makes Lea light up like the freaking sun when he does. 

Ienzo shows Kairi books and stories, and reads to her a lot. She likes stories of worlds, and different places. Stuff with happy endings and magical creatures. Her favorites have dragons, and her least favorites have princesses locked away or sleeping. The kids though are okay and Braig feels a little hopeful again. Seeing Kairi with the other kids though reminds him this kid is way too little to be fighting anything. 

‘not safe if she can’t fight.’ And his weird heart friend is right but it still doesn’t make it suck any less. So Braig out of spite and because frisbees are not weapons, buys Isa and Lea real weapons. He gets a lecture for it about safety, sights christmas presents only to be told it’s the middle of summer but who cares, they were training them to fight anyway. Isa is not really thrilled at being given a weapon, he gets a sword because braig figures it’s close enough to what he used later and giving a teen a claymore seemed like the road to injury. Lea gets chakrams, because he can’t think of anything else to get the kid, but they're plain compared to the memories warring in his head and little more than bladed circles. The little turd actually complains they lack style and he tells him he can have nicer ones when he can use those properly. 

Ienzo gets a book on magic because he feels guilty buying the other twerps things and not the younger boy. Ienzo seems at least happy with it and Even is just happy he didn’t get Ienzo a sharp thing he thinks. 

Training Lea and Isa is equal parts awful and hilarious. They tend to alternate between being motivated and lazy and he finds while Lea’s style he get’s, kids bendy and fast and he can work with that, Isa kinda fights like he’s trying to break everything into a million pieces, for being so calm Isa has a temper just as much as Lea in a fight. So he starts dragging Dilan and Aeleus into training, and then pushing the little berserker in their direction. 

This is fine for a while and he feels better when they all can defend themselves adequately. Heartless still came and went, they kept an eye on darker days and there were casualties but few and far between. 

As time moves on Braig feels a little better about the changes, and starts to think less of what hasn’t happened. Aqua never does return, and he assumes the worst and adds it to his growing list of failures. Years pass and he teaches Kairi to summon the keyblade, with the guidance of the other heart, under the guise of meditation or some bologna. She proceeds to run around the castle showing everyone her giant flowery key. He pushes Even in the right direction into understanding what it’s for and not before long Kairi under strict supervision is riding Radiant Garden of heartless. They take turns going on jobs with her and the kid turns out to be a scrappy little thing in a fight. She’s all quick movements and dancing away from attacks. Lea likes sparring with her the most and they spend hours in complicated spars trying to wear the other out. 

Braig still feel’s tense though and as he watches the kids grow up they get closer to another major point in his time that hasn’t happened. Ansem Seeker of Darkness might not even exist in this world, no Xehanort Terra meant no Xemnas so really they shouldn’t have anything to worry about...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kairi deserved better, so I fix.  
> Also this chapter is the end of Birth By Sleep time, Next chapter begins KH 1.   
> Things are different...


	9. Colors weave into a spire of flame

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Guard armor...

Braig is always fidgety on stormy days. Day after the storm is sometimes just as bad. On patrol it feels like nothing is out of the ordinary. Lea and Isa are with him as he patrols the outer gardens and it’s more a precaution to send them on group patrols, darker days bring darker problems. But it’s quiet here and later in town. 

Lea and Isa are both distracted the whole time acting like the children they barely are anymore. Overgrown brats in guards uniforms that really they never do look comfortable in. 

In the courtyard heading back towards the castle they run into Ienzo and Kairi. Ienzo isn’t wearing his lab coat and purple abomination that Even claims is lab uniform. Isa wears it sometimes but Braig, Aeleus, and Dilan have refused the ‘lab’ uniform from day one and would not stop now. He is wearing a blue sweater Braig thinks someone bought him for christmas a few years back but it’s clearly still too big and has a bag slung over his shoulder, probably holding a ridiculous amount of reading material.

Kairi was wearing a pink dress, she wore a lot of pink these days and Braig suspected it had finally beat out purple which had been the previous favorite color. The dress would have been too short, because really Kairi did a lot of flips in her fighting and short skirts were a problem, but she was wearing leggings underneath anyway so he supposed she had thought about that. The end of the skirt had plaid ruffles around it, and over the dress was a sleeveless trench coat that went to her knee and was open but belted around her waist. It was mostly black and had a hood, the edges of the shoulders and bottom of the coat had the same plaid as her skirt. 

Lea and Isa both waved as the walked past, Lea may have stopped just to mess up Ienzo’s already messy hair. Kid needed a haircut and Braig watched them continue on their way as he stopped in front of the castles other two brats. 

“We heading out somewhere?” He leaned on top of Kairi’s head who swatted him away which had him dramatically flailing back at her. 

“Were going out for ice cream, and probably book browsing because Ienzo clearly needs more.” Kairi rolls her eyes and links arms with the older boys. He wonders if the other, original, former, Kairi was this way.He didn’t really know her then, but she was a princess of heart in that world. Here she’s practically a princess again, more to do with actually residing in the castle and being Ansems second not adopted grandchild. He’ll have to point out to Even that he has two kids now. 

“Yeesh, good luck with that. I’m going to see about food, don’t get into trouble, it’s been quiet but the storm was pretty bad last night. Lord knows with your luck something will crawl out of the wood work.” Kairi blows a raspberry at him. Ienzo rolls his eyes at both of them and proceeds to urge Kairi to go before this turns into an over dramatic play fight that takes more of their day. Which to be honest that was fair.

The day dragged on, till late in the evening when Dilan, Aeleus and Braig got notified of heartless being spotted out by the park. It wasn’t necessary to evacuate when everyone was already fleeing the area, and Braig was relieved and a little unimpressed by the standard heartless they found there. Clearing them out was easy and it left him sighing as he rested one of his arrowguns on his shoulder. 

“Kinda shocked that was it. Wasn’t much of anything was it?” Aeleus shrugged before going to survey the damage if there was any. Dilan wandered over to Braig who was perched up on a wall. Braig dropped to the ground next to him with a grin. Before he could snark at the other guard something large comes crashing to the ground and has Aeleus jumping away from the mass of metal shapes. The thing starts moving and he realises it’s some sort of moving armor.

The thing stands, or floats over it’s legs and Braig wants to puke. On its chest is an emblem. It marks manufactured heartless which shouldn’t exist. The machine was never created.They never built the manufactory, furthermore Terra Xehanort never arrived. Emblem heartless shouldn’t exist. 

He doesn’t get much time to consider this as the thing is spinning it’s arms at them and Braig jumps out of the way. Braig fires into its head but it’s arms come up to block it and the thing slams down on the wall he was on. Jumping up onto a nearby roof he frowns. 

“Break the limbs first I guess!” Dilan and Aeleus share a look and Dilan swings his lane to block the now spinning arms of the armor. Aeleus brings his axe down to destroy one of the arms and it vanishes in a cloud of darkness. That was promising at least. Braig shot at the thing again, distracting it and pulling it away from the others, he changed his aim to focus on a leg and was satisfied when one vanished like it’s arm and it toppled awkwardly. A lance slammed through the middle of it, and the emblem that shouldn’t be there, and the whole thing was gone. Not that it should have been there to begin with. Climbing down he wandered over to Dilan and Aeleus who were both looking unsure. Dilan leaned on his lance and looked around, probably waiting to see if anything else appeared. 

“That one was unique…”Aeleus nodded seriously.

“We should report that now, if more show up like that it could be a problem.” Braig hummed an agreement but was distracted by his own concerns. Emblem heartless meant Xehanort had experimented on people, which meant he was somewhere in the worlds, most likely trying to work toward Kingdom Hearts, it’s what happened first. He had collected the…

Braig startles suddenly and frantically takes off toward the shopping district. Dilan calls after him but he’s not listening. Kairi and Ienzo went into town. If emblem heartless were here then did that mean they were looking for princesses of heart? He’s out of breath when he reaches the book store, more from the panic attack he’s having, but when he goes in he doesn’t see any sign of heartless, people are just casually looking around. Kairi and Ienzo aren’t there either so he can’t quite calm down. Dilan has caught up to him at this point and has a grip on his shoulder like he’s worried he might take off again. To be fair he might if he can’t find the kids soon. 

“Braig what’s going on?” Braig must look crazy standing in the door of a book store with his arrow guns drawn and gasping for air like he is. Dilans dragging him back outside and pushing him to lean against a wall. He tries to form a coherent thought and eventually chokes out something.

“Kairi, we need to check on Kairi and Ienzo, they were out in town. Somethings not right I have too..” And he can’t breathe again, his head is also starting to feel funny, and he seems to have woken up the other heart sleeping in him who is also sending concerned agreements about his assessment that something is wrong. Dilan is frowning, he thinks, he’s having trouble concentrating on that and the world's kinda fuzzy around the edges. 

“Is everything alright?” They both startle to look at a lady with a basket of flowers, and a concerned face. She has a ribbon in her hair and a pink dress and he thinks he’s seen her around before but can’t remember where. Dilan seems unsure how to take the interruption but screw it if this person was in town they might have seen something.

“Looking for a red head girl and a blue haired boy, girls about this tall all smiles, boys not much taller and hair all in his face like he needs a haircut…”

“Kairi! You mean Kairi, she comes to the gardens a lot.” Braig deflates a little relieved that they might be getting somewhere.

“Yeah, I talked to her today she was with that boy, they both live in the castle right? He doesn’t talk much. Anyway they asked me about traveling somewhere, I’m not sure. I told them Highwind knew a lot about that stuff though and sent them to see him. He has a mechanic shop over on the west side of the shopping district.” Dilan nods seriously and Braig relaxes because that’s fine right? They probably saw something in a book about other worlds and this was fine. The lady made to leave but stopped as if she was unsure.

“I am not sure that it matters, but they weren’t alone. I assume it was just a friend but you only mentioned two. There was another person, with white hair. He went with them. Come to think of it I don’t think I have seen him around here before…” 

Braig was definitely going to puke, or pass out, maybe both.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> bloop bleep bloop
> 
> Kairi deserves clothes that make more sense for fighting.  
> Ienzo needs a giant sweater.  
> The purple cravat or whatever is ugly so there. I also don't like purple all that much so bias. Sue me.  
> I am trying real hard not to write to much shippy stuff in here honestly. I do have ships but idk if I will put any concrete ones in this. If I do it's real slow burn. Like so slow guys.


	10. Distant sparks call to a past still unnamed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> World traveling.

Highwind had a mechanic shop for a while operating in the west side of the shopping district in a large workshop with pipes going who knows where in and out of it. He was the guy to go to if you needed something fixed and built, but he was the real grumpy old man type and didn’t like his time wasted. Braig hadn’t really spoken to him much at all but he knows they’ve commissioned stuff from him before.

He also thinks he remembers the man being one of the people who returned to Hollow Bastion to restore it in another time, did he already know enough about other worlds to travel between them in this time? 

Dilan is hot on his heels as they reach the shop, his own panic having set the other guard on edge as well. He was happy that explanations weren’t being asked for. He wasn’t sure how to explain who it was he was worried about. As they reached the shop Braig did his best to not slam the door as he entered. No one was in the front of the shop and he shifted nervously as he looked around.

“Hey anybody here!” He’s yelling as he approaches the counter and practically bouncing from foot to foot. It’s less than a minute before they hear some cursing from the back and out the side door behind the counter stumbles a disgruntled blonde man. He looks like he’s about to snap something but pauses as he gets a good look at who is in his shop.

“More from the castle. Whatya want now?” Braig realized the man was trying to be as polite as he could which would normally be hilarious to him if his heart wasn’t trying to crack his chest open as hard as it was beating.

“Kairi and Ienzo were here? Are they still here?”

“Yep and no. Left not even half an hour ago..”

“Where did they go? Back to the castle…” Highwind gives Dilan a completely flabbergasted look like he was speaking gibberish and Braig was pretty sure he knew the answer to that.

“They took the Highwind, one of my ship’s, to take the white haired fella somewhere, didn’t catch his name but he was a grumpy looking brat. Kept going on about finding someone. Anyway they needed to get to another world to look and I’m the only person with transportation for it yah know. Dying art Gummi ships can't get any respect for traveling between worlds these days.” That wasn’t good news. Dilan was still talking to Highwind but Braig couldn’t make out what was being said and everything sounded muffled and far away. The world was doing the blurry around the edges thing again and man his heart friend sounded concerned and kinda far away and when did Dilan start holding on to his arm again, why wasn’t he still talking to Highwind, they needed to find the kids, they had to hurry before…

Waking up after passing out is not the same as waking up from sleep. For one waking up from passing out was actually regaining consciousness and was less like a slow moment of receding sleep and more a shock of cold water as you snapped back into whatever your reality was. Right now his reality was laying on Highwinds couch with a wet rag on his forehead and the sudden awareness that Ansem the wise was now here as well which made him want to ask how long he had been out but his mouth felt like cotton.

Master Ansem and Highwind were arguing about something, and he registered Even had also arrived because he was much louder when he started going on about Highwind allowing kids to fly some unknown machine. Carefully Braig pushed to sit up and removed the wet rag from his head. He tossed it on the table in front of him and realized Dilan was sitting next to him on a nearby chair looking like he had recently attempted to swallow a lemon, he couldn’t blame him because Even and Highwind were just yelling at each other now and Master Ansem was patiently waiting for the two of them to lose steam. 

“You need to know your limits.”

“Don’t know what the hell you're talking about dude.” Dilan looked at him unimpressed as he swung his feet to sit properly on the couch. 

“I’m guessing no progress has been made on finding the kids…” Dilan was still staring at him and it was beginning to make him want to fidget. He held his hands together to stop some of the shaking in them. If the other guard noticed he didn’t say.

“No. Highwind has another ship, but it is not currently complete and would take time. He also did not inquire further as to where they were going just that they had to rescue or find someone.” Braig nods along because yeah he expected that. He also figured the second ship not being complete was part of why Even was raging at Highwind. They had no way to go after the kids. 

They didn’t gain much ground with Highwind and though Master Ansem convinced him to notify them when his next ship was operable and that Even would be willing to assist him in this, much to more cursing from Highwind, they still weren’t going anywhere any time soon. 

So he failed again.

The heart in his chest did a protesting and concerned feeling thing and he sighed. The walk back to the castle was filled with Even’s concerned ranting. Braig didn’t blame him and no one made an effort to stop his tirade. As they approached the castle Aeleus, Isa, and Lea were outside, apparently waiting for them to return. Lea runs the few steps to reach them and looks between Master Ansem and the rest of them with confusion.

“Did you find them? What happened?” Ansem the wise sighs and lays a hand on Lea’s shoulder as he motions for them to go inside. They end up in a sitting room as he tries to explain that Kairi and Ienzo have left the world with an unknown person. Which begins a whole explanation of other worlds, and inter world travel, and gummi ships, and Braig was really tired.

“So the unknown person is most likely dangerous?” Isa looks so serious as he asks that question, and Braig thinks of an Isa with an X cut into his face and wants to laugh bitterly. He croaks out a yes instead that has everyone looking at him with different expressions, he’s not sure what they're thinking and he chooses to stare at the ground instead. The ground doesn’t look nearly as concerned.

The conversation continues for a while before Master Ansem is declaring that no more can be done tonight and they will make more plans in the morning. Which is awful, and feels a lot like giving up and abandoning the kids right now. He knows they’re not. He knows that they will get the Gummi ship ready and be after them in a day or two at most. But it feels too long and he already feels like if he waits any longer they won’t find them, or when they do they’ll have white hair and yellow eyes and…

Someone is shaking his shoulder and he looks up to realize it’s just him and Dilan left in the room. He doesn’t lie the question he can't read in Dilan’s eyes, doesn’t want to dissect the emotions there, doesn’t want to think about a Dilan with no heart and only hate, and all these things that were his fault.

“Yeah sorry, just thinking, I’m gonna turn in.” He pats the other man on the shoulder as he quickly vacates the room and makes it to his hallway, dark and silent when the thought hits him like a freaking shot to the face.

There were other ways to travel between worlds.

Other ways that were more dangerous but he had used them before. It would be faster and he would only have to do it till he caught up. He’s staring at his hand thinking if he can even still pull it off. 

‘have to be strong to use that, a weak heart, an unsure heart will succumb..’ And he’s not surprised the heart knows what he means but he expected resistance at the thought not advice. 

‘dangerous but might be necessary. can you even still?’ Wasn’t that the heck of a question?

Braig reached out a hand and felt for the edges of it, the darkness in the world, he supposed he should be relieved that it was hard to reach here in Radiant Garden but eventually he found it. Taking a deep breath he thought about what he needed, pictured a hallway of pure darkness and felt the pull at his fingertips as something responded. Opening his eyes, and really when he shut them, he was thrilled and horrified to see a Corridor of Darkness flickering and moving in front of him. So he could still do that. That was, well, concerning. With a wave he watched the corridor vanish again.

‘be strong, do not falter.’ 

It takes Braig a short run back to his room to grab some things, he changes out of the guard uniform for one, and settles for any black thing he can drag out of his closet. He doesn’t have the coat and though bad memories or not memories are associated, even though Luxu is associated with it he is aware that it would be safer. Black has association with that so it’s what he ends up with. The black coat he grabs is much shorter than the organizations and he kinda is relieved that it’s so different. His scarf ends up back on as an afterthought but feels necessary nonetheless. Braig stops as he moves to leave when he catches sight of himself in the mirror. 

A part of him expected to see, well, someone else. Maybe Luxu, maybe Xigbar. He doesn’t look like either. It occurs to him he needs a haircut, it’s much longer than it used to be but he leaves it down most of the time and it’s missing the white streaks. He supposes he should have expected that change but it was still strange to see or really not see the difference. With a deep steadying breath and an encouraging push from the other heart he swings open his door to leave, only to be blocked by Red and Blue. 

Lea and Isa are both standing there with serious expressions, both in casual clothes, both holding their weapons, both looking like their ready to argue anything Braig says. So he just goes with…

“No.”

“Braig we aren’t losing another friend, and like Kairi and Ienzo are family.” Braig steps around the both of them and heads down the hallway to the lower levels, he figures darker areas would make this easier and less likely to draw attention.

“No.”

“We know you had to have figured something out…” Lea and Isa are following him and Lea is doing some not whisper when he talks. He gets points for trying to be inconspicuous he guesses.

“No.”

“Everyone else is going to wait for the stupid ship but what if that’s not fast enough…” He stops in one of the darker hallways before turning back to the two brat’s following him.

“No.”

“And you said if there was ever a person with white hair…”

“Lea.”

“Kairi and Ienzo are in trouble. We are going to help whether you allow it or not.” Braig groans in frustration. This was not part of any plans and he didn’t want to risk them getting themselves into this crap. He looks at Isa silently watching the argument and gets a shrug in response.

“Okay. But listen, you do exactly what I tell you, no matter what, even if the direction is leave me behind. You understand?” Lea goes to protest and Isa puts a hand on his shoulder to silence him.

“We understand.” Braig nods seriously and turns to the dark hallway.  
“Okay, alright. So we're going to use something called a dark corridor. It’s not safe, it’s stupid, but were low on options.” He looks over his shoulder at them and continues when neither comment.

“It’s like traveling through a nightmare trying to drag you in. It’s awful and it knows you don’t belong there. You're going to want to respond to it, or fight it but the best thing you can do is just keep moving. Focus on what we're looking for, we're going to find Kairi and Ienzo, we are going back to the light. If you doubt yourself, if you give in at all, and if you try to use it more, it, well it won’t be good, okay?” Lea and Isa are so serious looking and nod at the same time. He kinda wished they would run scared and he pauses to give them an out. 

“Stay close, don’t stop moving.” He raises a hand and focuses, it is easier to find the darkness in the lower levels and he wonders if it’s association with what they had done down here in another time, darkness had proven before that time had no meaning to it. He feels the darkness give way and the corridor materializes. He looks to see Lea and Isa still there but they at least have the decency to look uncomfortable at the mass of darkness open in the hall. 

“Ready?” Lea grabs Isa’s hand and Braig doesn’t comment on the action. They all move toward the corridor and right before Braig steps in he feels Lea grab his hand too. He let’s it happen and they are enveloped in the corridor.

‘may your heart be your…’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Braig, Lea, and Isa are off to adventure. Anyone want to guess what world we start with?


	11. Bear this torch against the cold of the night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Talking to animals is headache inducing...

_ ‘What’s written on the lost page?’ _

_ ‘Luxu, have you been behind all this?’ _

_ ‘...Are you the traitor?’ _

Corridors of Darkness were never fun as a nobody. Mostly though when you did not have a heart the darkness held little interest in you passing through. Going through with a heart was like trying to walk through waist high snow as a blizzard whipped around you. The darkness and shadows pulled at them as they attempted to pass and he could feel it ever trying to pull them under and deeper into it. Lea’s hand felt like it was going to break the bones in his hand the grip was so tight but Braig didn’t dare let go. He was terrified that he would come out the other end without them, if he came out at all.

‘do not falter.’ The other heart helped push against the darkness and with that he could see a literal light at the end of the tunnel. Making a final push Braig stumbled out of the darkness, Isa and Lea thankfully right on his heels. Quickly he raised a hand to dismiss the corridor and slumped against a nearby wall trying to collect himself. He pointedly did not comment on Lea and Isa huddled together and quietly discussed something. Not his business. What was his business was figuring out where they were. Which judging from the hedges and roses and in the distance the upright walking card…

“Wonderland. Freakin wonderland. Couldn’t be a world that was easy to navigate. Nope we gotta end up in crazy town.” Braig groaned in frustration. Hopefully them ending up here wasn’t coincidence. Truth be told he hadn’t given the Corridor much direction. 

‘heart chose the path’ And yeah, okay, maybe that meant they were on the right track at least.

“So this is another world. Figures it’s just more gardens…” Braig choked back a laugh at Lea’s clear disappointment. 

“We travel through a literal manifestation of darkness to a new world for the first times in our lives and you still find something to complain about.” Braig did audibly laugh then and Lea at least had the decency to look embarrassed.

“Alright, let’s go see if we can find someone willing to tell us if they’ve seen our missing duo. For now we stick together. Can’t risk anyone else getting lost.” He tries not to think of the other apprentices and Ansem the wise discovering they are gone as well. Braig could only hope they don’t assume the absolute worst of them. 

They wander the hedge maze a bit but decide not to talk to the armed giant cards. Something told him they were probably trespassing and you rarely got answers from people who were busy attempting to apprehend you. They eventually emerge from the maze into what looks like another garden, more card guards linger around but this one has a podium and some pissed off lady in a crown screaming about something, charming that. The smaller crowned guy seemed to be trying to calm her down and there was a rabbit, in a waistcoat, running in circles…he distinctly remembers a reason why he never ventured to this world if he, xigbar, Luxu, could help it. Aggravating mess of a place.

Isa seemed to share his perspective on this matter as he looked completely annoyed by just everything, Lea shot his friend a grin though and before Isa or even Braig could stop him was meandering over the chaotic scene before them. 

“Good afternoon. Sorry to interrupt but we were just passing through looking for friends of ours, a boy and girl.” The woman stopped screaming long enough to look at Lea slightly bewildered that he was there and then promptly began screaming at him.

“Thieves! Liars! Cheats! Off with their heads! Find them! Find them now!” The card guards began to scatter around the area then out to who knows where. Lea turned back to them and shrugged.

“What are you three doing? GO find them now!” Braig looked at the screaming lady then looked around to make sure that, yeah, she seemed to be addressing them.

“I’m sorry, who are we finding?”

“Those liars, those cheaters, that guilty girl Alice! Off with her head! Off with it!” Well that was decidedly unhelpful. Isa looked at Lea who was smiling like this was a big hilarious joke. He sighed before turning to the screaming woman.

“We’ll get right on that…” Braig snorted but allowed Isa to drag Lea out and followed them only to stop to give the, was she supposed to be a queen, a mock salute. They continued through the hedge maze, and Lea was cackling with laughter as Isa dragged him through it, and finally made it out into what looked like a forest, made of giant flowers. 

“Gardens, everything is plants. Now giant plants…” Lea kicked at the ground looking around disgruntled.

“We are not on vacation Lea, were only here to find…”

“Finding things is rarely as satisfying as the searching.” They all turned to face the voice in the tree above them. In the branches was a floating smile and two eyes. That was disturbing. Braig looked at his companions to make sure he wasn’t seeing things but judging from the equally uncomfortable expressions, yeah, floaty face was real.

“Erm. Yeah. You wouldn’t have seen a girl and boy not from around here.”

“I rarely see people not from around here, they tend to be not around here.” 

“This is going to be one of these conversations…”

“Although there was the children from away from here.” Stripes began to spiral around the thing before it became clear that they were talking to a cat. It at least made the creature less frightening.

“Isn’t that the same thing..”

“Is it? Whose to say?”

“Nevermind, are they still here?” The cat looked around before the smile grinned wider.

“I do not see them. But if they were still here you wouldn’t be searching would you?” 

“Not directly here, in this world.” 

“Hmmm. They have gone away.” The cat began to slowly vanish again and out of the corner of his eye Braig could make out the frustrated looks on Isa and Lea’s faces. He wondered if they would attempt to kill the magic cat. Probably shouldn’t let that happen but Braig couldn’t blame them. This world was awful.

“Do you know where they have gone?”

“To away places not here of course,” The cat was completely gone now and the voice was coming from everywhere which was super creepy, “But their hearts will take them to the end, to find the heart connected to one of theres. It’s where the dark things took Alice, poor stupid girl. Hearts are very valuable these days, is that why you have two?” Braig kinda wished the cat would come back so he could shoot it, but nothing spoke again and they were left alone in the weird giant flower forest.

“What the ever loving fu..”

“Lea.”

“No! For real Isa! The hell was that? That thing is going to give me nightmares.” Isa didn’t say anything so Braig supposed he agreed with his friend. Braig kinda agreed too. 

“Well anyway it means they aren’t here anymore. So I guess we keep going…”

“Can we actually trust that thing,” Isa guestered vaguely to the tree the cat had been in, “It seemed generally…”

“Bat shit crazy!” Lea waved his hands frantically in the air. Isa looked unimpressed before nodding slowly.

“Yes that.”

Braig shrugged but he guessed they were right to an extent. The cat had been confusing but he didn’t feel like it was lying. Still…

“Let’s look around a bit more, but this world might be a bust regardless.”

The flower forest is mostly empty, though they end up fighting some lower level heartless and eventually end up wandering into what looks like an empty tea party. There’s no one there but there is a weird painting over the table with a man and a rabbit. They decide to not interrupt whatever that was supposed to be and end up eventually finding their way into a house, except they can’t figure out how they made it their. Still no other sign of the kids though.

“This place seriously is the worst.” Isa nods along as Lea dispatches another heartless with his chakrams.

  
“I think we're done here, doesn’t seem like we can get much more from this place, besides a headache.” Which meant they were going to have to reopen a portal. 

‘careful.’ He nodded to himself before raising a hand and tried to ignore how much easier opening a corridor was in this world was. 

“Second verse same as the first, you ready?” 

They end up stumbling out into a world that is encroaching on evening, Braig wonders if they just hadn’t noticed that it was getting late because Wonderland was so awful. He also feels exhausted and he wonders if he was always that tired and the corridor just amplified the exhaustion. 

“Come on, let’s find somewhere safe-ish and get some rest for the night…” Isa nodded and Lea, who was practically draped over Isa’s shoulder gave a thumbs up which had Braig rolling his eyes. They end up going into the first building that door opens to them, it’s a small room with some large torches but it’s empty and warm at least. They end up crashing in the corner, Lea is practically sprawled across his friend but Braig supposes the other boy was used to the clinging. They fall asleep quickly, and Braig tries to stay up for a while to keep watch but he’s exhausted and follows them into sleep not long after. 

  
‘ _ This world is full of light. It's a world comprised of many smaller worlds, all connected, stretching as far as the eye can see. One great light protects us all throughout this vast land. All worlds share one light, one fate... _ ’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So fun fact, I own five different copies of Alice in Wonderland, one of my favorite books. I love the movies, love video games, clothes, and pop cultural references....and really hate the world in Kingdom hearts. It was lackluster. I was sad. 
> 
> On another not, we are probably not going to be going to Traverse town, it doesn't fit currently, Radiant Garden is going to take it's place basically. This is subject to change but some of the story stuff got cut to fit with the new chain of events.
> 
> Um...yeah.


	12. Search your soul and reawaken the undying light

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dog

Waking up on the floor sucked, even more so when it was stone and unforgiving as the one they had slept for the night. Waking up with a tiny angry man goat thing in your face going on about who knows what also sucked. Looking over he saw Lea and Isa were both awake and fairly startled by the angry thing ranting at them. Sighing Braig dragged himself off the floor and grimaced at the goat man.

  


“Look, uh guy. We just needed a place to crash while passing through, no big deal. We’ll get out of your um horns..”

  


“Not like we hurt anything, don’t got to yell at us about jack.” Lea stretched as he stood apparently having recovered from being awoken by this worlds occupants.

  


“This ain’t a hotel you brat. This is a place for heroes! This is...” Braig looked around at the comment and snorted a bit as he realized just where they were. 

  


“The coliseum…” He hadn’t meant to say it out loud. Isa was looking at him weird but Lea didn’t seem to notice as he was having a glaring contest with the goat guy.

  


“That’s right. This is where heroes train and compete! Heroes like Hercules.”

  


“Who the hell is Hercules?” The little guy looked like he was going to have an aneurysm at Lea’s question which would be hilarious but they needed to ask different questions here.

  


“Right, anyway we apologise or whatever. Look have you seen some kids? A girl and boy specifically. Girl might be running around with a flowery key?” It at least stopped the yelling as the goat dude looked at him for a good long minute as he contemplated their question. Braig supposed they might not look the most trustworthy. Honestly Braig probably wasn’t being helped by the scar and the eyepatch.

  


“Yeah I saw them, junior heroes in training, they passed training but they need a whole lot more work. Told them to come back when they were stronger. Doubt they could have gotten pretty far in the actual cup tournament.”

  


“Hey I’ll have you know Kairi could probably kick most of your so called heroes asses…” Lea was arguing with the goat guy again which he wasn’t sure they had time for but at least it was confirmed that Kairi and Ienzo had been here. 

  


“Lea that’s enough. Look we just need to know where they went, got anyway to point us in the right direction?” Isa was pulling Lea away from the conversation to get him to stop because he wasn’t backing down or stopping anytime soon it seemed.

  


“I don’t know much, I do know that Hades stopped them, the creep, on their way out but the older one, with the hair all in his face, pulled them away from that, smart kid. Herc talked to them a bit, he may know more than me. He’s outside if you want to try talking to him. Your other kids had more manners by the way.” Braig was so distracted by trying to organize his thought he didn’t even have time to sputter out a negative response to the comment about his ‘other kids’, Ienzo was his nephew at best and Kairi was…a kid. The goat guy had wandered off and Braig felt a little wrong footed as he joined Isa and Lea, who was no longer ranting loudly but had settled for quietly mumbling insulting things about the goat guy. 

  


“Looks like we need to find the Hercules guy, he apparently talked to them before they left.” Lea continued to ignore him though as he was mumbling increasingly creative and vulgar insults. Isa slapped a hand over the red head’s mouth, Lea looked offended and startled which was a little funny. 

  


“Right let’s go see if we can find this guy then get out of here…” 

  


Exiting the colosseum was different in the daylight and it took a second to figure out which way to look. People were loitering around the colosseum and when asked where to find Hercules they were just pointed back in the direction they came which was no help at all. 

  


“I don’t think this guy exists. The goat man just sent us on a wild goose chase.” Lea was wildly flailing his arms which in Braig’s understanding meant he was on the way to a full tantrum. Isa was trying to get him to sit and calm down but it wasn’t really working and honestly Braig was so annoyed he couldn’t care less if Lea went off, and probably accidentally set something on fire, maybe the Hercules guy would show up then.

  


‘not a good idea…’ Braig pushed off from the wall he had been leaning on with a huff. 

  


“Hey, let's go back to the colosseum. Maybe we missed him and he’s there and if not Lea can yell at the goat some more.” He waved them to follow along and ignored Lea’s continued ranting and Isa’s long suffering sigh as they made their way back.

  


Braig expected a few things when arriving back at the colosseum entrance, he didn’t really expect the man goat of Lea’s ire to be running up to them in a panic or the screaming people fleeing the area.

  


“Where’s Herc!” 

  


“How the hell should we know you freaking little..” 

  


“Lea…” Braig ignored the silent conversation the two were having and shrugged at the goat guy.

  


“Look we couldn’t find him, is there a problem? What’s with the fleeing and screaming?”

  


“Cerberus is loose in the colosseum! Hades is obviously behind it but someone needs to go in there and get that mutt before everything is wrecked.”

  


“Cerberus is a dog?”

  


“A giant three headed monster of a dog with more teeth than brains.”

  


“Okay.”

  


“Okay, what?”

  


“You go find Hercules and we’ll keep the giant angry dog thing busy till you do. Then we can talk to him after he stops the thing.”

  


“Are you nuts? You and those scrawny punks can’t take out Cerberus. You’ll be eaten alive.”

  


“Who the hell are you calling scrawny!” 

  


“Just go find Hercules. Lea, Isa, hurry up.” With that Braig took off in the direction of the colosseum entrance. His arrow guns were in his hands before they entered the last door and he turned to make sure the others were smart enough to have drawn their weapons. Isa looked serious as much as Lea looked thrilled that they were about to fight a giant three headed creature.

  


“Alright, anything starts going wrong you book it out here understood? Isa you drag his ass out if ya have too.” He didn’t wait for the indignant yelling of Lea as they rushed into the open area of the arena. 

  


Cerberus was a very angry looking three headed dog, with red eyes and questionably disproportionately giant sharp teeth that seemed like they would probably get in the way of eating then assist. The giant beast didn’t even notice their entrance as it focused more on slamming into pillars and lunging at the few trapped and screaming remaining audience members in the arena. 

  


Lea and Isa were off running to assist evacuation of the area as Braig took a leveled breath and fired several rounds at one of the giant dogs heads to draw it’s attention away from the others. It swung around pissed and growling and he quickly rolled out of the way behind a pillar. The top of the pillar shattered around him and cursing he flung himself further away toward the seating areas to put some distance between giant fanged drooling mouths and his person. 

  


“Geeze mutt. Your breath smells like death.” The thing lunged forward and he fired into the closest face before rolling under the snapping jaws of another. Blinding three heads at once was proving to be difficult and annoying. 

  


‘needed a strategy…’

  


“Yeah, well too late for that innit.” Jumping out of the seating area he ran underneath the mutt before taking refuge behind another pillar and took a minute to catch his breath. He was too old for this shit.

  


‘you are not that old, in fact i am technically older.’ 

  


“Technically my consciousness time traveled so I’m pretty damn old too.”

  


‘physically it hardly matters.’

  


“If you want to be like that you don’t even have a physical form to age.”

  


‘fair enough.’ The pillar next to his collapsed as the cerberus attacked the stone in search of it’s attacker. Creeping around the pillar Braig caught sight of Lea and Isa pulling the last of the trapped audience members out of some rubble. The pillar against Braigs back shattered and cursing he spun around with his gun raised as something slammed into his side and sent him flying into one of the last remaining pillars. It didn’t shatter with his impact but it certainly felt like something did as he collapsed to the ground. His arrow gun bounced out of one of his hands. Raising his remaining weapon he fired a bit wildly at the approaching beast. The other heart was saying something but his head was kind of ringing and he was just trying his best to breathe through the pain.

  


Someone was yelling something colorful and Braig wondered briefly if he was that out of it that he was talking without realizing it. That was until Cerberus caught on fire. Isa was next to him in the next instant but he was distracted from whatever was being said by an absolutely furious Lea holding flaming chakrams and spitting out words he most likely had learned from Braig, and sometimes Dilan. Isa was pulling him up and Braig stumbled a bit as he tried to take more of his own weight then was smart. With an arm around Isa they quickly headed for the door, he briefly heard Isa calling for Lea before the edge of his vision went fuzzy and he blacked out completely. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's hot inside my house and I have been battling insomnia. I am having trouble writing things. Like I have key things I know need to happen but am having trouble conveying them or liking what I write. So this is just me pushing this out whether I like how it turned out or not. Hopefully it's not awful.


	13. On that day, when the sky fell away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Waking up hurts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shorter then I wanted but here you go. Sorry for the wait.

‘I’ve been having these weird thoughts lately…’

Passing out was getting old, and waking up from it was taking a lot out of him to not panic. The dark around the edges of his vision closing in on him was terrifying and he went through every stage of panic and relief you can think of when he wakes, because there was a time he probably wouldn't have. Waking up from passing out is always like breaching water, ice cold and gasping. 

‘...strategy would have helped.’

“Oh bugger off you freakin..”

“I said nothing.” Braig sits up slowly too see Isa watching him with what he assumes is his concerned face. Kid was always hard to read and even with his heart he feels like Lea is the only one who can figure out when he has any mood besides annoyance. They were in a room he didn’t recognize and he was definitely sitting on a bed he had never seen.

‘...they got you help…’ 

‘Right yeah that makes sense.’

‘...do not give me attitude when i am helping…’

‘You are only making me seem crazy.’

‘...then you should respond to isa and not just stare at him…’

Well frick that was a good point. Isa was looking at him like he had hit his head and honestly that was fair. His head hurt a lot and come to thank of it he thought his arm might have…

“We had a potion, it might be sore but the worst of the break should be okay.” Braig looks back at Isa and smiles, well it’s closer to a grimace before swinging his legs over the edge of the bed. He is struggling to remember the majority of the fight but he knows he was losing to the damn dog and then Isa had well. Lit up.

“So Lea didn’t cast a normal firaga right?”  
“He has expressed magic proficiency with fire before but this was a little more extreme yes.”

“The firecracker okay?” Isa stares at him a beat at the question, and what Braig guesses is uncertainty. Because proficiency with fire is different then what Lea just did, it’s not normal magic to command elements like this. 

‘...doesn’t mean it’s dark…’

‘It could be still. We all fell before.’ And the my fault goes without saying but his heart pushes it forward and the other heart hears it he is sure.

“Lea is better off then you are.” And Braig actually laughs because, yeah the spitfire probably is. Pushing himself to his feet he winces at the general soreness but it’s fine, he’s had worse, much worse. His arrow guns are sitting on the ground next to him and he is relieved they are in one piece, going unarmed would have been problematic. Isa stands as well and looks like he wants to offer him assistance before he thinks better of it, which is also good because Braig has had enough pity for a lifetime.

‘...not pity, it’s help…’

‘Same damn difference.’ The door swings open and Lea is there, so is the annoying goat man but that’s hardly important. Mainly because Lea is slamming into him full force in a hug that leaves him wrong footed in more ways than one. 

“Stop trying to die on us old man.” Is being said into his jacket collar and Braig slowly returns the hug before turning unsure eyes at Isa who is determined to look anywhere but at him. Alright he screwed this all up. 

“Sorry kid. Wasn’t my brightest moment, was a pretty bright one for you all things considered. Just maybe reign in those pyro tendencies.” The disgruntled hey is all he gets in response but Lea is slowly releasing his coat in favor of turning to frown back at the goat man. 

“The Hercules guy wasn’t any help by the way, I mean for Kairi and Ienzo. He just said they left. Which I mean duh.” Lea starts arguing with, Phil that was goat guys name, and Braig rolls his eyes and finally catches Isa’s eye who just shrugs. If they don’t have any way to help it was time to move on then. 

“Alright, Thanks anyway. Lea! Come on it’s time for us to move on then.” 

“Hold on.” Phil is frowning at them before shaking his head. “I got something for Blue and moody.” He is leaving the room and Braig looks at the brats confused but they seem just as unsure as he is. When the goat man comes back he’s got a sword. It’s not a small sword by any means but it isn’t familiar to Braig in the least. Phil is holding it out to Isa though who looks completely panicked at being offered anything. While that was hilarious Braig is confused why until Lea is nodding to what is just the hilt of Isa’s sword he had brought with them. He could guess what happened and is pretty sure it is more of what he missed with three heads and fuzzy. Isa needs a weapon and they are being offered one but he isn’t sure why. Phils face is pinched in aggravation as he holds out the sword, and it’s a nice sword, clearly well taken care of, with blue and gold hilt and a sharpened blade that looks like someone painstakingly spent time with it. It’s much too big for this goat man though so he has too wonder whose it was. 

“Now you listen here Blue, this isn’t a gift, it’s a favor you're doing me.” Phil looks kinda pained and Braig can’t remember anything about this world that would cause a look like that but it’s grief he is certain he knows what that looks like, it’s damn near carved into his heart. “This is a sword for a hero, the Soldiers Blade. It belonged to a hero once, but he’s gone somewhere now well out of it’s reach. He wasn’t one to want swords to collect rust. You need a sword, and this sword needs to be wielded. So take it, a favor to me…” 

Isa looks like he wants to protest, Lea looks beyond conflicted, and Braig just feels numb. Isa needs a weapon, and maybe it’s not what they want to accept help but they need it, Braig isn’t taking them further one man unarmed. So Braig takes the sword from Phil with a grim nod and the goat man is already leaving when he turns and pushes it into Isa’s hands. The thing is heavier than it looks but Isa knows how to wield much heavier. In another life there's a claymore with a star and energy that radiated from it was agony and sorrow. In this one it’s a simple sword with the weight of an unknowns memories singing in the blade. Both are terrifying but it will have to do. He looks at these two kids, who bore more weight then they should have once before and have chosen to do it again. He wonders how anyone could have doubted Lea was a keyblade wielder; this boy would move mountains for those tied to his heart. He thinks Isa should have been one too. Braig’s eyes shut and his hand reaches and fingers grasp at the dark edges of the world. The portal tears into existence, and three step through.


End file.
